Mini Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

I made these for Valentine's Day since my wife bought me a new mixer.  It was great having variable speed.  NOTE:  be sure to follow the mixing times and speeds since over mixing is not recommended.  They did not look as pretty as I had planned but the taste was chocolatey fantastic.  The basic recipe for the cupcakes came from http://www.cupcakerecipes.com/chocolaterecipe.htm and the frosting came from http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/chocolate-cream-cheese-frosting-2/Detail.aspx but of course I had to make a few minor tweaks to both.  I have left the original recipe and struck through where I have made changes.  As for the appearance I did not have a smooth and silky chocolate but rather a very finely speckled


Cupcake Ingredients
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 3/4 cup water
• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 4 ounces melted unsweetened  baking chocolate I used 3 oz of unsweetened and 1 1/2 oz of semi-sweet chocolate melted

Preparation & Coking Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line cupcake pans with paper liners.
Combine all ingredients into large mixing bowl.  Mix at low speed for 30 seconds, and scrape bowl.  Mix at high speed for 3 minutes.
Fill liners 1/2 to 2/3 full of batter.  Bake 20 to 25 minutes the mini cupcakes only required about 12 minutes but by inserting a toothpick into the center and verifying that it comes out clean is a sure fire method.

Cool 10 minutes in pans then remove from pan, and place on wire racks to cool completely.

Frost when chocolate cupcakes are completely cool.
 
Frosting Ingredients

4 (1 ounce) squares unsweetened chocolate 1 (1oz square of unsweetened chocolate) & 1 1/2 oz of semi-sweet chocolate ( I used a Trader Joe's Truffle Bitter sweet chocolate)

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese

4 cups confectioners' sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1/8 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons evaporated milk 1/4 cup of heavy cream

Preparation

1. Have all ingredients at room temperature. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or microwave oven.
2. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy. Pour melted chocolate into cream cheese and mix on medium speed until well blended. Add vanilla and pinch of salt. Slowly mix in the confectioners sugar.
3. Scrape the sides of the bowl and increase mixer speed to medium-high. Slowly add evaporated milk until the frosting is spreading consistency.