German Chocolate Valentine Cupcakes

Ingredients:

• 1 recipe Chocolate-Pecan Ice Cream "Frosting"
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 ounces sweet baking chocolate
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 cup buttermilk or sour milk
• Caramel ice cream topping
• 2/3 cup toasted shaved coconut**

Instructions:

1. Prepare Chocolate-Pecan Ice Cream "Frosting."
Cover and freeze. Line twelve 2-1/2-inch muffin
cups with paper bake cups. Set aside.

2. Preheat oven to 350 degree F. In a small bowl
stir together flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

3. In a small saucepan combine chocolate and
water. Cook and stir over low heat until melted;
cool about 10 minutes.

4. In a large bowl beat butter with an electric
mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds.
Beat in sugar until fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla;
beat on low speed until combined then beat on
medium speed for 1 minute. Beat in chocolate
mixture. Add the flour mixture and buttermilk
alternately to beaten mixture, beating on low
speed after each addition just until combined.
Spoon batter into bake cups, filling cups about
2/3 full.

5. Bake about 25 minutes or until a wooden tooth-
pick comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks
for 10 minutes. Remove from pans. Cool thoroughly.

6. Just before serving, heat caramel ice cream top-
ping until warm. Remove wrappers from cupcakes;
place cupcakes on plates or in shallow bowls. Top
each cupcake with one round of Chocolate-Pecan
Ice Cream "Frosting." Top with toasted coconut
and drizzle with warm caramel ice cream topping.
Makes 12 servings.

*Toasted Coconut: With vegetable peeler, shave
strips of coconut from a peeled, halved coconut.
Place in a shallow baking pan. Toast in a 350 degree
F oven for 10 minutes or until edges are lightly
browned, stirring occasionally. You may also use
purchased raw chip coconut, but only toast for 2
to 3 minutes.

**Chocolate-Pecan Ice Cream "Frosting": Line a
cookie sheet with waxed paper; set aside. Slice 1/2
gallon chocolate ice cream into sheets about 2
inches thick. Use a cookie cutter to cut rounds
just larger than the cupcakes from frozen ice cream.
Place on waxed paper-lined cookie sheet. Press 3/4 to
1 cup toasted pecan pieces into ice cream letting
pecans protrude from the ice cream. Cover and freeze
4 hours or overnight.