White Chocolate & Macadamia Nut Cupcakes - Recipe

For the cupcakes:
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup confectioners/icing sugar
2 cups self-rising flour
1 tsp. baking powder
4 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup white chocolate chips

1. Preheat the oven to 350F. Combine all the cupcake ingredients (except for the chocolate chips) in a large bowl, and beat with an electric mixer on medium speed for 2 minutes. Stir in the chocolate chips with a spoon or spatula. Spoon about 1/4 cup of batter into each well of a muffin tin lined with baking cups. Bake for 18-22 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool for 5 minutes. Remove cupcakes from the pan and cool on a wire rack for an additional 25 minutes.

For the frosting:
1 cup white chocolate chips
5 tbsp. milk
1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar, sifted
3 tbsp. chopped, toasted, macadamia nuts

2. Melt the chocolate and milk in a double boiler, stirring frequently. Remove from the heat and beat in the confectioners sugar until smooth. Frost each cupcake and sprinkle with the chopped nuts.

Makes approximately 18 cupcakes

PS Be sure to frost these cupcakes quickly after finishing the icing. Because of the chocolate content it will develop a bit of a hardness as it cools, still soft and delicious enough to eat, but very difficult to pipe or spread.