Decadent Triple Chocolate Cupcakes

For a recent get-together, I knew I wanted to make truly delicious chocolate cupcakes.  Chocolate by itself was not enough.  Chocolate mousse?  Yes.  Dark chocolate ganache?  Absolutely!  Dark chocolate is not for the faint of heart. These cupcakes are for lovers of sinfully rich desserts.

Chocolate Cupcakes with Dark Chocolate Mousse Filling, Dark Chocolate Ganache and Nutella Buttercream
Cupcakes:
Ingredients:
1 cup heavy cream
10 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, roughly chopped
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, roughly chopped
3 eggs
1/s cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon chocolate extract (can substitute more vanilla)
3/4 cup cake flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup dark chocolate chips
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 325.  Line cupcake pans.

2. Melt chocolate.  This can be done on low, using a microwave and stirring often, or with a double boiler.  I heated a small amount of water to boiling, then set my pot on top.  Add the first 3 ingredients to pot.  Stir with wooden spoon until melted.

3. Using electric mixer, blend sugar, eggs, and extracts.  Beat until mixture thickens, from 3-5 minutes.  Then, pour the melted chocolate in, and blend until combined.

4.  In separate bowl, combine cake flour & baking soda.  Whisk, then gradually add this to the batter, mixing about 30 seconds after adding the flour.  Finally, add chocolate chips.  Blend for 15 seconds.

5.Fill cupcake tins about half full.  Bake cupcakes for about 25 minutes.  They are done when a toothpick inserted comes out cleanly.  Cool on wire racks.

Dark Chocolate Mousse:

2 ounces semisweet chocolate (coarsely chopped)
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate (coarsely chopped)
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
2 T sugar
1 T Godiva liqueur

1. Put chocolate in large metal bowl.
2. Heat 1/2 cup heavy cream and sugar to boiling-but stir and watch carefully or it will burn.  Remove from heat, add liqueur, and pour over chocolate.  Stir well.

3. Using electric mixer, whisk 1 cup heavy cream on HIGH.  (Note; if you do not make whipped cream within a few minutes, throw it out and start again).  Fold in melted chocolate until combined.

4.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate to set, about 45 minutes.

Dark Chocolate Ganache

4 ounces unsweetened chocolate
2 ounces sweetened chocolate
1 cup heavy cream

1. Heat cream in saucepan over medium hat to boiling.  Keep careful watch on pot.
2. Pour cream over chocolate, stirring well.
* Depending on desired consistency, you may need to add more cream.

Nutella Buttercream (from Inquiring Chef)
1  jar Nutella (13 ounces)
1 stick butter softened
1-2 cups powdered sugar
Splash milk, as needed

Using electric mixer, blend Nutella and butter u\ntl smooth.  Gradually add sugar until desired consistency is achieved,

Garnish:
Toast chopped hazelnuts on low setting.

ASSEMBLY:
Using small paring knife, carve out 1-inch diameter holes from cupcakes.  Save tops-place them next to each cupcake.

Fill centers with about 1 tablespoon chocolate mousse.  Find top, chop end to make smaller, set on top of hole.

Dip cupcakes into ganache carefully, to keep top on.  Slowly rotate top through ganache.

Once ganache sets, using a piping bag, frost top with Nutella buttercream.  Sprinkle toasted hazelnuts on top for garnish.

ENJOY!

Strawberry Cupcakes for a Grown Up Luau

I’m back!!

It has been quite a long hiatus, but I am back writing about my one true love: cupcakes.  What have I been up to?  Substitute teaching.  Which is exhausting.  You might think subbing is the easiest job in the world.   I disagree.  Honestly?  I never really wanted to be a sub.  Because I knew it would be the single hardest job in education I’ll ever have.  I am at my professional best when I *know* my students.  Their middle names (boy are THOSE fun to use), birthdays, their pets’ names, where they went on vacation last summer, their favorite color, and of course, their favorite kind of cupcake.  All of this information, and the process of gathering it, helps me figure out my students as individuals.  How to talk to them, how to teach them, how to help them stay organized, and how to help them navigate social situations.  Being a new face every day does not fit into my personal style at all.  I figured students would all hate me, either because a) they love their teacher and do not want any alternative person to teach them, or b) they enjoy torturing new people.

Thankfully, after a crazyfied day this week, I got to return to classes and students I have already met  To my surprise, they remembered me.  And the classes went easier.  I thought that they might become more rowdy if they saw me again, but in every case, students were more respectful, more cooperative, and stayed on-task better.  All of this has given me enough energy to write!  It’s nice to have a good day immediately following a bad day that left me feeling like a complete failure, questioning my skills and wondering “What am I going to do if this is my class next year?” (Answer: I have no freaking clue.  Will be searching amazon later for titles like What To Do in The Classroom When Everything Goes Wrong”.)

I have a lot to catch up on, so I’m going to begin with the strawberries.

I *FINALLY* went strawberry pickin’ in Bluemont, VA.  It was a gorgeous day to be in the fields, sunny but not humid with a cool breeze.  We picked a lot of berries.  Everyone asked me what I was planning to do with them.

It wasn’t until I got home, and realized I had about 5 pounds of strawberries that I realized I needed a plan.  So, I looked through my cookbooks, but nothing was singing to me.  I wanted a strawberry daiquiri-inspired cupcakes, but I also wanted coconut.  On a whim, I googled “strawberry pineapple coconut”. I discovered this recipe for Strawberry Colada Cupcakes,  shown below.

How were they?  First, I made a Toasted Coconut frosting, but I would not do that again.  I would do a Pineapple Cream Cheese frosting, then garnish with toasted coconut and a maraschino cherry (preferably one with a stem).  The cupcake itself could use more pineapple, hence my frosting recommendation.  Here's my recipe:

Pineapple Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe

1 package cream cheese (full fat...just do it), softened

1/2  stick butter, at room temperature

3-4 cups confectioner's sugar

3-4 T pineapple juice

1. Blend cream cheese & butter until smooth, about 1 minute.

2. Add 1/ cup sugar at a tine.  When frosting becomes thick, add 1/2 T of juice at a time, until desired consistency is reached.  Don't go crazy adding liquid.  It takes  a lot of sugar to correct it.

Second, I wasn't satisfied with one recipe.  So I made Strawberry Daiquiri cupcakes too.

They were phenomenal.  I would highly recommend the cakes, with the frosting possibilities endless.

This Strawberry Daiquiri cupcakes consists of a Strawberry Lime cake, infused with a Malibu Coconut Rum Syrup, topped with a Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting.  The garnish is strawberries and a line wedge on a cocktail stick, drizzled with Malibu.

I will definitely make these very grown up cupcakes again for a summer party near you!

-Adapted from Krystina Castella

Strawberry Lime Cupcakes

1 stick butter, at room temperature

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

pinch of salt

1/ cup milk

1 1/2 cups strawberries, sliced

Zest of 1 lime

1 - 1 1/2 T fresh lime juice 

*Preheat oven to 350

**Slice strawberries into small pieces

*Zest lime first, lime juice will be used later

1. Cream butter and sugar using electric stand mixer.  Star on low, then gradually increase speed to medium.  Batter should look creamy in about 30 seconds-1 minute.  Add one egg, then mix.  Repeat with second egg.

2. In separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt.  Mix.  Alternate adding dry ingredients to batter with milk.Mix 2 minutes.  Stop mixer, scrape bowl.  Add lime zest and lime juice Mix 30 seconds longer.

3. Fold in strawberries.

4. Scoop about 1/3 cup batter into each cupcake liner.

Bake for 21-24 minutes.  Check t 21-press cupcake.  if it springs back, they're done.

Malibu Rum Syrup

 Combine 1 cup sugar and 1/2 cup water in saucepan.  Bring to a boil, whisking constantly.  Add one pat of butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and 3 tablespoons of Malibu rum.  Cook, stirring, until mixture becomes thick, about 6-10 minutes.  Let cool.

When cupcakes have cooled, remove from pan.  Jab tops with a fork.  Using a pastry brush, brush tops of cupcakes with Malibu Rum Syrup.

Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting

1 package cream cheese, softened

1/ stick butter, at room temperature

3 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1/4 cup diced strawberries

1. Blend cream cheese & butter until smooth, about 1 minute.

2. Add 1/ cup sugar at a tine.  When frosting becomes thick, add a little strawberries, until desired consistency is reached.  Don't go crazy adding berries.  It takes  a lot of sugar to correct it.

Frost cupcakes.

Garnish with skewered fruit, colored sugar, coils of lime peel, candied lime peel..endless possibilities.

In the future, could also be fun with a Rummed whipped cream, with a garnish of a strawberry and cocktail umbrella.

This cupcake is good because it delivers on the flavors.  The fresh lime gives it a delicious citrus splash.

Happy Birthday Kimberly!

As is obvious from the brief photo montage, Kimberly is one of the funnest, sunniest, all-time greatest people to be around.  We went out this weekend to celebrate her birthday, and her talented sister Kristina created some yummy, light and refreshing cupcakes for dessert.

Everyone at the table loved these light summery cupcakes, and they are also convenient to make. 
For the cake, you need to prepare a box of Angel Food cake mix (Betty Crocker), and prepare as directed.  For the frosting,

• 3 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1 cup butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 to 2 tablespoons whipping cream

Combine butter and sugar, and add liquid in intervals.  Top with fresh summer fruit!

So grateful to celebrate another birthday with my wonderful friend. :o)

A Sweet Deal

We all get those daily deal emails, but Specialicious had one I could not turn down.  $11 for a dozen gourmet cupcake's from Persnickety Cakes in Manassas, VA.  Can't wait to get my cupcakes, and if you want to try a Strawberry Shortcake or Caramel Cafe, or Peanut Butter, click HERE!

Peanut Butter Cupcake courtesy of pernsicketycakes.net

Tangerine Almond Cupcakes

In March, my family had a fun brunch get-together to celebrate my uncle's birthday and my cousins' visiting from California. I decided to make these cupcakes, because anything citrus spells brunch to me. I adapted this recipe from the Cake Doctor, and just because I am me, went with tangerine instead of orange, but whatever you like should work. To be honest, at first, I didn’t love them. But I had several left over (as they are mini, you get at least 3 dozen) but I ate them daily for breakfast, or a snack, until they were gone. That proves they’re good, because I refuse to eat anything that is a treat unless it is delicious. (Which means if I make a batch of so-so cupcakes, they don't get eaten). Happy baking! I'll be searching for yummy breakfast treats to bake, asI returned to the working world a few weeks ago, and love to grab a homemade snack as I walk out the door. If anyone has a good recipe, please send it my way!

 Tangerine Almond Recipe

Almond Filling:

1/2 tube of almond paste

1 cup chopped almonds (plus more, for garnish)

For Cupcakes:

1 package yellow cake mix
1 package (small box) vanilla instant pudding mix

1 1/2 cups fresh-squeezed tangerine juice (you need a whole 5 lb bag for this task)

3/4 cup vegetable oil

3 eggs

1 teaspoon orange extract

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

For Glaze:

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1 T tangerine zest

3-4 tablespoons tangerine juice

A dollop of orange food coloring gel (Wilton)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350, line mini muffin pans with liners.

2. Mix together almond paste and chopped almonds.  The paste has to be broken up with you fingers. (And FYI, it gets super hard if you save the remaining paste, so use it up within a few weeks). Set aside.

3, Combine all cupcake ingredients in bowl of stand mixer, or use an electric mixer.  Mix on low for 1 minute, then scrape down bowl and mix on medium speed for an additonal minute. 

4.  Fold in almond mixture.

5. Use a measuring spoon to put one tablespoon batter in eahc cup. You may need to add a little more, but 1 T for mini mufifns is usually good.

6. Bake for about 15 minutes-check by pressing cupcake. W hen it springs back, it is done. Cool on rack for 5 minutes.

7.  Make glaze: combine sugar, zest, and one T of the juice, and stir.  It will be thick and paste-like, so add a little juice at a time until desired consistency is reached.  It helps to have an expert eyeball this, as too thin and it is runny, too thick and it looks ugly.  I'd say 3-4 T is good.

Finally, add a teeny bit of onage food colring gel.  This step is just for looks, but I think it made a difference, because the cupcakes themselves are not orange.  Alternatively, you could tint the cakes and leave the glaze a pale orange.

8.  Garnish with slivers of almond.

Voila!  And thanks to the BFF Kristy for this great platter! 

Birthday Cake Edition

Blueberry Cake with Lemon Curd Filling and Lemon Buttercream

As noted in my previous post, my cousin got married recently and had a delicious blueberry wedding cake.  So when my madre asked me what kind of cake I'd like for my birthday, it was a no-brainer.  Or was it?  It seems she had to do some research and unique adjustments to create my lovely birthday cake.
This was a crowd-pleasing, springy delicious dessert.  

Blueberry Cake  recipe:
1 box white cake mix
1 package vanilla instant pudding (small size)
4 egg whites (reserve yolks for lemon curd)
1 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cups blueberry puree*
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon vanilla

*To make puree, rinse 3 1 lb. containers of blueberries and drain.  Blend until pureed, then strain off skin.  Sugar does not need to be added.

1. Preheat oven to 350.  Grease and flour two 8 inch round pans.
2. Combine cake mix and pudding mix in large bowl, and whisk together.
3. In separate bowl, add remaining ingredients. 
4.  Gradually add wrt ingredients to dry using electric mixer, stopping to scrape sides and bottom of the bowl.
5.  Pour into cake pans.  Bake for 35 minutes, or until a stick inserted into cakes come out clean.
6.  Cool on wire rack for 10 minutes.

Lemon Curd Filling (from oregonfruit.com)

1/2 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice (3 lemons)
1/3 cup sugar
2 egg yolks
2 eggs
dash of salt
6 tablespoons butter, cubed

1. In saucepan, whisk all ingredients except butter.
2. Turn burner to low.  Add butter a little at a time, whisking constantly, until all is melted and combined.
3.  Increase to medium-lowish heat, and continue to whisk constantly until mixture thickens and becomes jelly-like.  (Like making a custard).  Cook about 9 minutes.
4.  Pull pan away from heat, and strain lemon curd through strainer placed over a bowl.
5.  Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use.

Lemon Buttercream (from oregonfruit.com)

2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
2 teaspoons lemon zest
5-6 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
6 tablespoons heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon lemon extract
2 tablespoons water
dash of salt

1. Cream butter & lemon zest using electric stand mixer. 
2. Combine liquid ingredients in separate bowl.
3. Alternate adding sugar and wet ingredients until desired flavor and consistency is achieved.

The letters were constructed by melting sugar until liquid, then adding food coloring.  Rapidly, you drop this liquid onto a Silpat (silicone mat) from a spoon.  My madre says the sugar hardens too fats to pipe it, so this was free-form writing with a spoon.  To that, I say well done.

Greatest Cupcake Stand EVER.

Need to own this & throw carnival-themed party.
Available at Amazon and Kohl's