Chocolate Brownie Cupcakes

Glad to be back! Here's my latest endeavor...from the latest baking book I have bought (from Amazon.com)...it's called 125 Best Cupcake Recipes. I just could NOT wait to try the recipes! So here's the first recipe I've tried so far and I'm happy to say that it turned out really good.
In the author's words, "Here's a deliciously chewy and chocolaty cupcake that I am very pleased with. They'll disappear off the cooling rack faster than you can say, 'Chocolate brownies'."
If there are leftover cupcakes and you want to eat them the next day, my advice is to warm them up in the microwave and they will taste even better.

Note: I didn't use the chocolate fudge frosting recipe from her book because I didn't have one of the ingredients it calls for, but I found an AWESOME recipe online to top the cupcakes. So I added the recipe on the bottom. Enjoy!
*Preheat oven to 325 degrees F
*You will need 1 muffin pan with paper liners...this recipe makes 12 cupcakes
Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup (or 8 tbsp) unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder

Note: if you don't have Dutch-process, you can substitute with baking cocoa/unsweetened cocoa powder. The formula: 3 tbsp Dutch process cocoa powder = 3 tbsp unsweetened baking cocoa + 1/8 tsp baking soda)

• 1 tsp baking powder1/4 tsp salt
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 2/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract/essence
• 1/2 almond extract (I didn't use almond extract because I dislike almond flavoring)
• 3 eggs
• 2/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips or white chocolate chips (I used white chocolate chips...yum!)
• Chocolate Fudge Frosting (see recipe below)

1. In a small bowl, mix together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together granulated and brown sugars and butter until smooth. Whisk in vanilla and almond extract (if using).

3. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour mixture, beating until combined.

4. Stir in chocolate chips.

5. Scoop batter into prepared pan. Bake in preheated oven for 28 minutes or until a tester inserted into center comes out with a few crumbs attached and a little melted chocolate. The tops of the cupcakes will not spring back when touched.

6. Let cool in pan on rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pan and let cool completely on rack. Top cooled cupcakes with frosting.

Chocolate Fudge Frosting Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup milk
• 5 tbsp butter or margarine
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Note: When I made the recipe for the brownie cupcakes (=12 cupcakes), I had MORE than enough when I made half of the frosting recipe. So just divide all of the ingredients by half.
1. Put the sugar, milk, and butter in a saucepan.
2. Bring to the boil, while stirring constantly.
3. Remove from heat and add the chocolate chips.
4. With a wire whip, beat until creamy and cooled. (I used an electric mixer)