MS: Devil's Food Cupcakes

Okay, so I'm not too keen on the name of the cupcakes. But I'd just call them moist chocolate cupcakes.

I'm not too large a fan of plain chocolate. I prefer my chocolate to have things in it; nuts, fruit, nougat etc. And maybe like what J says, chocolate is too easy to do. So many people make stuff with it! Maybe vanilla is more a challenge. That subtle, soft, light sweet thing. (:

Anyway, so I did chocolate. Still YUM. (:

I've never made ganache before so this was a lesson. Mine was much too runny even after an entire morning in the fridge so I'll just have to try again or stick to chocolate buttercream! The cake was good, but since it had ganache, it had to be refrigerated. I like my cakes room temperature or even slightly warm. Makes it moister and sometimes even chewy.

INGREDIENTS

Cake (makes 32)

• 3/4 cup cocoa powder
• 3/4 cup hot water
• 3 cups self-raising flour
• 1 tsp double-acting baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter
• 2 1/4 cups sugar
• 4 eggs at room temp.
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup sour cream

Ganache

• 450g bittersweet chocolate chips/drops
• 560ml heavy/thickened cream
• 1/4 cup corn/golden syrup

METHOD

Cake

1. Whisk cocoa & water until smooth
2. In another bowl, whisk flour, baking powder & salt together
3. In a saucepan over low heat, melt butter and sugar, stirring to combine
4. Transfer melted butter & sugar into a mixing bowl
5. If you have an electric mixer with a splash guard, mix the butter & sugar on medium speed until it has cooled. If you do not have a splash guard, do not use an electric mixer or else the hot butter will splash on you; use a hand held whisk and mix gently until mixture has cooled
6. Add eggs one at a time and continue to mix until well incorporated
7. Add vanilla & cocoa mixture to egg mixture and beat until combined
8. On low speed, add in the flour mixture in 2 batches, alternating with the sour cream
9. Mix well after each addition
10. Pour batter equally into cupcake tins lined with 32 cupcake liners
11. Bake in a pre-heated oven for about 20mins, rotating tins halfway through
12. Remove from oven once done or when and inserted skewer comes out clean
13. Remove cupcakes from tin immediately and cool on wire rack

Ganache

1. Place chocolate in a large heatproof bowl
2. Bring cream & syrup just to a simmer over medium-high heat
3. Pour mixture over chocolate
4. Leave mixture to stand until chocolate starts to melt
5. Beginning near the center and working outward, slowly stir the melted chocolate into cream until well combined
6. Refrigerate, stirring every 5 mins, until frosting just barely begins to hold its shape and is slightly lighter in colour
7. The best option is to use it immediately
8. If ganache is left too long and is too solid to use, remove from fridge and leave at room temperature until slightly softer or gently heat over a pan of simmering water and stir until smooth again

Ice the cakes and decorate as desired. (:

I added chopped walnuts which was nice and bitter to counteract the rich chocolate.

Love,

Amy.