Ingredients: |
Ingredients: Note: Use a high quality bittersweet or semisweet chocolate for this recipe, such as Callebaut Intense Dark Chocolate L-60-40NV or Ghirardelli Bittersweet Chocolate Baking Bar. The cupcakes may be made up to 24 hours in advance and stored unfrosted in an airtight container.
Ganache Filling:
2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped fine
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon confectioner's sugar
Cupcakes:
3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped fine
1/3 cup Dutch-processed cocoa
3/4 cup hot, strong brewed coffee
3/4 cup bread flour
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
6 tablespoons canola oil
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons white vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Mocha Frosting:
Makes about 4 cups (enough for 24 cupcakes or frosting two 9-inch cake layers, a 13 x 9 inch sheet cake or one bundt cake). The frosting may be made up to 2 days in advance and refrigerated in an air-tight container. Before frosting, let stand at room temperature until soft, about 2 hours, then whip with an electric mixer briefly to re-fluff.)
24 tablespoons unsalted butter (3 sticks), cut into pieces and softened at room temperature
3 tablespoons heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups confectioner's sugar
3 tablespoons cocoa
1 1/2 teaspoons instant espresso
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Directions: |
Directions:For the ganache filling:
1. Place chocolate, cream and confectioner's sugar in a small in a small microwave-safe bowl. Heat on high power, until mixture is warm to the touch, about 20 to 30 seconds. Whisk until smooth, then refrigerate, until just chilled, about 20 to 25 minutes. (Do not chill for longer than 30 minutes, or the ganache becomes hard and sinks to the bottom of the cupcake during baking.)
For the cupcakes:
2. Pre-heat oven to 350º F. Line a standard 12 cupcake pan with cupcake liners. Place chocolate and cocoa in medium bowl and pour hot coffee over mixture. Whisk until smooth and transfer to the refrigerator to cool completely, about 20 to 30 minutes.
3. Whisk flour, sugar, salt and baking soda together in a medium bowl and set aside.
4. Whisk oil, eggs, vanilla and vinegar into the cooled chocolate cupcake mixture, until smooth. Add flour mixture and whisk until batter is smooth.
5. Divide the batter evenly among the cupcake cups, filling each 3/4 full. Place one slightly rounded teaspoon of the ganache filling on top of each cupcake. Bake until the cupcakes are set and firm to the touch, about 17 to 19 minutes. Allow to cool in pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
For the mocha frosting:
6. Cream butter with an electric mixer, fitted with the whisk attachment; when light and fluffy, beat on medium-high speed, while adding cream, vanilla and salt, until combined.
7. Reduce mixer speed to medium-low and slowly add the confectioner's sugar, cocoa and instant espresso, until smooth, about 1 to 2 minutes, then increase speed to medium-high and beat frosting until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. |
Personal
Notes: |
Personal
Notes: Cupcake recipe from "Cook's Illustrated," May/June 2010.
Mocha Frosting recipe from"Cook's Country" magazine.
For alternate frostings, see recipes for "Creamy Chocolate Frosting," "Creamy Malted Milk Chocolate Frosting," Creamy Vanilla Frosting," Creamy Peanut Butter Frosting," and "Creamy Butterscotch Frosting."
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