Ultimate Chocolate Cupcakes

Last night, my coworker friend Rob invited a group of us downtown to watch the Lost season finale at his place. Inspired by the island theme, Giovanna and I volunteered to cook. She made delicious pulled pork tacos with cabbage and a mango avocado salsa. She also made black beans which went very well with my coconut rice (Monkey's recipe). Too lazy to make guac, I picked some up at Whole Foods, along with our favorite salsa. Everything was delicious and I was absolutely stuffed by the time I finished eating.

But of course, there was room for dessert. Just barely.

I originally wanted to make black and white cookies (good vs evil themes in Lost) but then Giovanna suggested cupcakes which made me remember this intriguing recipe I saw several weeks ago on the cooks illustrated website. They're called Ultimate Chocolate Cupcakes and they're stuffed with ganache and frosted with meringue buttercream.

Um, yes please.


The chocolate ganache was a piece of cake (pun intended). Just heat in microwave, stir, and pop in fridge to cool. The batter was also a cinch. Basically melt chocolate and then dump everything together. Next, I filled up the cupcake wrappers and dropped a dollop of ganache in the center of each one. Then it was into the oven for 16-17 minutes.

Now onto the buttercream. Oh the buttercream. My first batch was a disaster. I was too impatient and didn't let the butter soften to room temperature. Therefore my frosting coagulated into a gross cottage cheese like mess. Into the trash. My second batch was much better. I took the time to actually cream my butter beforehand, just to be sure it was soft and fluffy before I mixed in with the egg whites. I also cooked the egg whites for an extra couple of minutes. No reason. Just felt like doing it.

My reward? A light fluffy smooth frosting. Hallelujah.


Of course, I ate a cupcake asap (stuffed one in Badge's mouth too). Wow. Seriously wow. These cupcakes are damn good. I'm not a die hard cupcake fan but I'm now a die hard fan of this recipe. Not too sweet, sinfully chocolate-y, ooey gooey in the middle.


Make it. Your loved ones will thank you.



Ultimate Chocolate Cupcakes with Ganache Filling
Courtesy of CooksIllustarted.com
Makes 12 cupcakes

Ganache Filling
2 ounces bittersweet chocolate , chopped fine (see note)
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar

Chocolate Cupcakes
3 ounces bittersweet chocolate , chopped fine (see note)
1/3 cup (1 ounce) Dutch-processed cocoa
3/4 cup hot coffee
3/4 cup (4 1/8 ounces) bread flour
3/4 cup (5 1/4 ounces) granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
6 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons white vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 recipe Frosting

1. FOR GANACHE FILLING: Place chocolate, cream, and confectioners’ sugar in medium microwave-safe bowl. Heat in microwave on high power until mixture is warm to touch, 20 to 30 seconds. Whisk until smooth; transfer bowl to refrigerator and let stand until just chilled, no longer than 30 minutes.

2. FOR CUPCAKES: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Line standard-size muffin pan (cups have ½-cup capacity) with baking-cup liners. Place chocolate and cocoa in medium bowl. Pour hot coffee over mixture and whisk until smooth. Set in refrigerator to cool completely, about 20 minutes. Whisk flour, sugar, salt, and baking soda together in medium bowl; set aside.

3. Whisk oil, eggs, vinegar, and vanilla into cooled chocolate-cocoa mixture until smooth. Add flour mixture and whisk until smooth.

4. Divide batter evenly among muffin pan cups. Place one slightly rounded teaspoon ganache filling on top of each cupcake. Bake until cupcakes are set and just firm to touch, 17 to 19 minutes. Cool cupcakes in muffin pan on wire rack until cool enough to handle, about 10 minutes. Carefully lift each cupcake from muffin pan and set on wire rack. Cool to room temperature before frosting, about 1 hour.

5. TO FROST: Mound 2 to 3 tablespoons frosting on center of each cupcake. Using small icing spatula or butter knife, spread frosting to edge of cupcake, leaving slight mound in center.


Creamy Vanilla Frosting
Makes about 2 1/4 cups.

The frosting can be made up to 24 hours in advance and refrigerated in an airtight container. When ready to frost, place frosting in a microwave-safe container and warm briefly on high power until just slightly softened, 5 to 10 seconds. Once warmed, stir until creamy.

1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large egg whites
Pinch table salt
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter , softened and cut into 1-tablespoon pieces
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Combine sugar, egg whites, and salt in bowl of stand mixer; place bowl over pan of simmering water. Whisking gently but constantly, heat mixture until slightly thickened, foamy, and registers 150 degrees on instant-read thermometer, 2 to 3 minutes.

2. Place bowl in stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment. Beat mixture on medium speed until consistency of shaving cream and slightly cooled, 1 to 2 minutes. Add butter, 1 piece at a time, until smooth and creamy. (Frosting may look curdled after half of butter has been added; it will smooth with additional butter.) Once all butter is added, add vanilla; mix until combined. Increase speed to medium-high and beat until light, fluffy, and thoroughly combined, about 30 seconds, scraping beater and sides of bowl with rubber spatula as necessary.

3. If final frosting seems too thick, warm mixer bowl briefly over pan of simmering water. Place bowl back on mixer and beat on medium-high speed until creamy.