Chocolate Almond Cupcakes

Ingredients

• 1/2 (7-ounce) tube almond paste (about 1/2 cup)
• 1 (2.25-ounce) package sliced almonds, toasted
• 1 (18.25-ounce) package plain devil's food cake mix
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
• 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 3 large eggs
• Chocolate Almond Glaze

Preparation

1. 1. Preheat oven to 350°. Insert paper liners into 20 muffin cups; set aside.
2. 2. Crumble almond paste into a medium-size mixing bowl. Reserve 2 tablespoons toasted almonds, and toss remaining almonds with paste.
3. 3. In a separate bowl, beat cake mix and next 4 ingredients at low speed with an electric mixer 30 seconds or until combined. Scrape sides of bowl with spatula, and beat at medium speed 1 1/2 to 2 minutes or until batter is smooth and thickened. Stir 3/4 cup batter into almond paste mixture.
4. 4. Spoon about 2 tablespoons remaining batter into each cupcake liner. Top each with a tablespoonful of almond paste mixture. Top evenly with remaining batter (about 2 tablespoons per liner).
5. 5. Bake at 350° for 19 to 23 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool in pans on wire racks 5 minutes. Remove from pans, and let cool at least 15 minutes.
6. 6. Drizzle Chocolate Almond Glaze evenly over cupcakes. Gently press reserved almonds into warm glaze. Store at room temperature in an airtight container up to 3 days, up to a week in refrigerator, or (unglazed) up to 6 months in freezer.