Triple Chocolate Cupcakes

1. Separate eggs. Allow egg yolks and whites to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan combine the 6 ounces chocolate and the butter. Cook and stir over medium heat until melted. Remove from heat. Stir in creme de cacao; cool.

2. Grease and flour twelve 2-1/2-inch muffin cups (or line with paper bake cups or parchment paper squares)*. In a small bowl stir together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large mixing bowl beat egg yolks and sugar with an electric mixer on high speed about 3 minutes or until thick and lemon color. Beat in chocolate mixture and vanilla. Add flour mixture, beating just until combined; set aside.

4. Wash beaters thoroughly. In a medium bowl beat egg whites on medium to high speed just until stiff peaks form (tips stand straight). Stir a small amount of the beaten egg whites into chocolate mixture to lighten. Fold in the remaining beaten egg whites.

5. Spoon batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling each about two-thirds full.

6. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until tops spring back when lightly touched. Cool cupcakes in muffin cups on a wire racks for 5 minutes. Remove cupcakes from muffin cups. Cool completely on wire racks.

7. Place Dark Chocolate Butter Frosting into a pastry bag fitted with a medium star tip. Pipe long stars of frosting onto tops of cupcakes. Sprinkle with additional chopped chocolate. Makes 12 (2-1/2-inch) cupcakes.