Brownie Cupcakes

Sorry!  Made these last week!  But here is the recipe and a few pics.

Recipe from Cupcakes Galore by Gail Wagman.

Directions for 12 cupcakes

Cupcake Ingredients:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
6 ounces dark chocolate, broken into pieces
6 TBSP unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into pieces
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup chopped walnuts

Frosting Ingredients:
3 ounces dark chocolate, cut into pieces
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup milk
3 TBSP unsalted butter
1 TBSP corn syrup
pinch of salt
1 tsp vanilla extract

For Decoration:
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional) or 12 walnut halves
Chocolate Buttons

1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Mix flour, baking powder, and salt together, set aside
3.  Place chocolate, butter, and sugar in a large bowl over simmering water.  Heat until just melted, stirring from time to time (do not cook).  This will only take a few minutes.  Remove from heat.  Add eggs, one at a time, blending well after each addition.  Add vanilla.  Gradually add dry ingredients.  When batter is smooth and dry ingredients have been absorbed, fold in chopped walnuts.
4.  Divide batter between cupcake papers, smoothing with the back of a spoon.  Cook for about 20-25 minutes.  Cupcakes should form a crust on top and be a little moist inside.  Remove from oven and cool completely before removing from tin.
5.  To make the frosting: place all of the ingredients except the vanilla and walnuts in a heavy pan.  Bring to a full boil and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat and cool (you can set bowl in cold water to speed process)
6.  Add vanilla and beat until thick, about 10 minutes, until frosting is fluffy and the color has slightly lightened.  If you are using chopped walnuts in the frosting, fold them in now.  Frost cooled cupcakes.  Top each cupcake with walnut halves and a chocolate button.