Coconut Rum Chocolate Cupcakes

  These cupcakes were born when my upstairs neighbor Joy posted on her facebook that she wanted cupcakes.  I had just gotten home from class and needed to procrastinate a bit, so I decided to surprise her with some cupcakes.  I didn't want to just make plain chocolate cupcakes, so I went looking through my cupboards and I found a completely unopened bottle of Cruzan Coconut Rum that just called my name.  So Coconut Rum Chocolate Cupcakes were born.  They are moist, airy, chocolaty, coconut and rum flavored bits of joy.  Essentially a perfect bite of a chocolate coconut bite that transports you to the Caribbean with a hint of chocolate. 
  These are a must make and I'll be making these again soon! 

Recipe
1 box of Betty Crocker's Dark Chocolate cake mix
Cruzan or any type of Coconut Rum
Eggs as called for on the cake box
Oil as called for on the cake box
2 c. Dark Chocolate chips
2 Tbsp of half and half
2 tsp of coconut extract, divided
flaked coconut for garnish
1 tsp of butter

Follow the recipe for the cake mix, however, instead of adding water, use the Coconut Rum in the exact proportions as called for.  Also add 1 tsp of coconut extract.  Mix these together following the instructions on the box.  Put into cupcake tins and bake according to the time on the box.  Let cool. 
Meantime, in a small sauce pan, melt the butter, dark chocolate chips, and half and half together.  You may have to add a little more half and half, it depends on the consistency of your dark chocolate chips.  You want it to be shiny and fairly thick, but loose enough that you can dip the tops of the cupcakes into it.  Turn off the heat and add the 1 tsp of coconut extract.  When the cupcakes are cool, dip the tops of the cupcakes into the chocolate and garnish with the coconut flakes.  If you want to jazz it up, soak the flaked coconut in a little bit of coconut rum before you garnish the cupcakes.  Make sure that you put the coconut flakes on before the chocolate hardens so that they stick! 

These are light and airy but still stuffed full of big chocolate and coconut flavors!