Everyday Cupcakes with Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting and Blueberry Pearls

I had a blast making these Everyday Cupcakes. When I was trying to figure out a name for these I opted to use the word everyday because they aren't from scratch cupcakes that may require special flours or flavorings. They are from a box mix. But the frosting is homemade. A wonderful chocolate cream cheese frosting that's easy to whip together.

The Decorated Shortbread Cookies I made were frosted with red chocolate candy melts and I had too much left over so I tucked it away in the refrigerator as a just in case. Well it was bothering me that I still had it in there and did not have a clue what to do with it.

I needed to come up with something quick to please my chocoholic husband and decided to make the chocolate cupcakes, the frosting and...then it struck me! I had some blueberries in the refrigerator so I then let my brain travel a bit further with this and came up with trying to make the blueberries look like Valentine's Day pearls. Well they aren't perfect but my husband loved them! He thought it was a stroke of genius on my part.

To make the cupcakes just follow the box directions on your cake mix for cupcakes. Be sure to let your cupcakes completely cool before frosting them.

As for the blueberry pearls, take a bit of even white chocolate and melt it according to the directions. Roll the berries around in the melted chocolate and then let the chocolate drip off and place on a piece of parchment paper. The candy melts harden very quickly. With regular white chocolate you should refrigerate them for a bit. It's just plain ole having fun in the kitchen.

The frosting is easy. It's yummy and it's not overly sweet. We think it's about perfect. So here's the recipe for the frosting.

• 1 - 8 oz. bar cream cheese - softened
• 1 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1/2 stick butter - soften
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1/4 cup half and half

1. With a hand held mixer blend the cream and butter with the vanilla. Mix well.
2. Add in the cocoa powder and mix on low speed, increasing the speed as it blends in.
3. Add the confectioners sugar in one-third at a time with one-third of the half and half and beat well to incorporate with each addition.

Then you are all set to decorate the cupcakes.