Chocolate Cupcakes With Salted Caramel Frosting And Chocolate Fudge Filling Recipes

Steps:

• For the cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 345 degrees F. Line a cupcake pan with liners.
• Combine the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and baking soda in a bowl. In a small pot over low heat warm up 1 cup water, the butter and espresso. Do not boil! Just melt the butter. Set aside to cool.
• Combine the buttermilk, eggs and coffee mixture in a second bowl. Combine the wet ingredients with the dry ingredients and mix with a whisk until smooth.
• Scoop the batter into the cupcake liners and bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Check for doneness by inserting a toothpick into the cupcakes. If it comes out clean, they are done. Allow to cool.
• For the ganache: In a small pot over low heat, mix the chocolate and cream until combined and smooth. Take off the heat. Add the coffee liqueur if using and mix.
• To assemble: Using a apple corer or a small spoon, scoop a small well halfway through in the center of the cupcakes. Spoon 1 teaspoon of the ganache into the well, as well as brush some over the top of the cupcakes. Fill a pastry bag with piping tip of your choice with Salted Caramel Buttercream. Pipe the buttercream directly on top of the cupcakes. Garnish as you please.
• Slowly heat the cream in a small pot over low heat.
• While heating up the cream, in another pot over medium heat, add one third of the sugar and the salt and mix with a wooden spoon until liquid. Continue to add the remainder of the sugar in one-third increments. Once all the sugar is dissolved, continue to mix the caramel until it reaches a slightly darker brown color.
• Turn off the heat and add the hot cream very slowly in increments while stirring. Be very careful to not burn yourself! Caramel is ready once the cream and caramel are smooth. Transfer to a bowl for cooling. Allow 1 hour to cool at room temperature.
• Add the cooled caramel mixture to a mixing bowl and with a paddle attachment on medium speed, add the butter in increments. Once the buttercream is smooth it is ready to be used.

Steps:

• For the chocolate cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 24-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners.
• Cream the granulated sugar, butter and oil in a large bowl. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until fluffy. Add the vanilla and blend well. Sift the flour, baking soda and sea salt and gradually add to the sugar mixture, alternating with the milk.
• Whisk the cocoa and water until smooth in a small bowl. Add to the mixture and continue beating until well blended.
• Fill each muffin cup three-quarters full with batter. Bake the cupcakes until baked through the center, about 15 minutes. Remove the cupcakes from the pan and cool on wire racks.
• For the chocolate fudge filling: Melt the butter in a microwave-safe bowl. Whisk the cocoa and water until smooth in a separate bowl. Whisk the cocoa mixture into the butter until blended and smooth. Whisk in the powdered sugar until fluffy. Yield: 2 cups.
• For the buttercream base frosting: Whip the powdered sugar, milk, vanilla and sea salt with a whisk attachment on low until smooth and creamy. Add the butter one slice at a time until well blended. Add the shortening and blend well. Whip on high until the mixture doubles, 10 to 12 minutes. Yield: 8 cups.
• For the salted caramel: Combine 1/4 cup room temperature water and the granulated sugar in a small saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat until the sugar dissolves. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. Boil without stirring, until the mixture is approximately 325 degrees F and a deep amber color, 5 to 6 minutes.
• Remove the caramel from the heat and whisk in the cream. The caramel will bubble violently. Once smooth, stir in the butter and fine sea salt. Transfer the caramel to a heat safe container and allow cooling for 15 minutes. Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks. Yield: 1 1/2 cups.
• For the salted caramel frosting: Whip 2 1/2 cups buttercream base frosting, the powdered sugar and 1/2 cup salted caramel with a whisk attachment until fluffy. Yield: 3 cups.
• Once the cupcakes are cool, cut out the center of each cupcake and fill with the chocolate fudge filling. Top each cupcake with the salted caramel frosting.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 325°F.
• Grease 12-cup muffin pan or line with baking cups.
• Place metal bowl over medium saucepan of barely simmering water (bowl should not touch water).
• Add butter and 6 oz chocolate.
• Let stand until melted; stir until smooth.
• Cool to room temperature.
• Whisk in sugar and egg yolks.
• Stir in flour and baking powder.
• In large bowl, beat egg whites at medium speed until frothy.
• Add cream of tartar.
• Beat at medium-high speed until soft peaks form.
• Fold one-fourth of the whites into chocolate mixture.
• Gently fold in remaining whites until mixed.
• Spoon batter into muffin cups, filling two-thirds full.
• Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
• Cool on wire rack 10 minutes.
• Remove from pan; cool completely.
• To make chocolate curls for garnish, line 4x2x2-inch mini loaf pan with plastic wrap.
• Melt 6 oz of the chocolate in metal bowl set over pan of barely simmering water (do not let bowl touch water).
• Pour into mini loaf pan; cool until firm.
• Unmold chocolate; remove plastic wrap.
• Using vegetable peeler, make curls.
• In medium saucepan, combine remaining 6 oz semisweet chocolate and whipping cream.
• Heat over low heat until melted and smooth, stirring frequently.
• Spread each cupcake with frosting; let cupcakes stand until frosting is cool but not set.
• Garnish with chocolate curls.

Steps:

• Cupcakes: sift the flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt into the bowl of a heavy mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; add sugar.
• Turn the mixer on low and add, in order; water, milk, eggs, oil and vanilla; scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat on medium, briefly, to achieve a smooth batter.
• Scoop the batter into muffin tins lines with paper baking cups; each cup should be about half full; slide the tins onto a baking sheet and bake at 325° until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 30 minutes.
• While cupcakes are cooling, prepare the frosting.
• Frosting: Cream the butter in the bowl of a mixer, using the paddle attachment; beat in the corn syrup, vanilla and salt.
• With the machine off, spoon in the cocoa; carefully turn the mixer on low so as to avoid death by cocoa inhalement; do likewise for the sugar, in three parts; last, add the cream then beat until fluffy.
• .
• When the cupcakes are completely cool, frost generously and shake on some sprinkles if you like.

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Line a 12-hole cake tin with paper cases.
• Beat the butter and sugar together with an electric whisk until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, and the vanilla extract. Briefly mix in the flour until just combined, and stir in the milk until the batter just falls off the beaters.
• Divide the mixture between the cases, leaving about 2 tbsp batter in the bowl. Add a pinch of salt to the caramel sauce if it's not salted caramel, then add ½ tsp to the tops of each cupcake. Use a teaspoon to cover the caramel sauce with the remaining batter. Bake for 15-20 mins until springy and golden. Leave to cool completely on a wire rack.
• Meanwhile, make the icing. Beat the butter and half of the icing sugar together, then tip in the remaining icing sugar and whisk vigorously until pale and fluffy. Stir in half of the caramel sauce, then spoon the mixture into a piping bag with a round or star nozzle.
• Pipe swirls of icing on top of the cooled cupcakes. Stir the remaining caramel sauce with a pinch of salt, if unsalted, then use to drizzle over the icing. Sprinkle over a small pinch of sea salt over each, if you like.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F.
• Prepare cake batter and bake as directed on package for 24 cupcakes, blending 1 pkg. dry pudding mix into batter before spooning into prepared muffin cups. Cool cupcakes in pans 10 min.; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely.
• Use small sharp knife to cut 1-1/4-inch-wide hole in top of each cupcake, being careful to not cut through to bottom of cake. Fill holes with caramel topping; cover with cupcake tops.
• Melt chocolate as directed on package; cool slightly. Beat remaining pudding mix, milk and powdered sugar in large bowl with whisk 2 min.; stir in COOL WHIP. Spread frosting onto cupcakes; drizzle with chocolate. Sprinkle with salt.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375°F. Place paper baking cup in each of 24 regular-size muffin cups. Make cupcakes as directed on box; cool completely on cooling rack, about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in medium bowl, beat Salted Caramel Cheesecake Filling ingredients with electric mixer on medium speed just until smooth and well combined. Using melon baller, scoop out center of each cupcake about 1 inch deep. Fill each cupcake with 1 tablespoon filling.
• To make Salted Caramel Buttercream: In large bowl, beat butter with electric mixer on low speed until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating until combined; beat in vanilla. In large microwavable bowl, microwave caramels and 1 tablespoon of the milk uncovered on High about 1 minute or until caramels are melted; stir until smooth. Stir caramel mixture and kosher salt into buttercream mixture until combined, adding remaining milk until smooth and spreadable.
• In small bowl, mix chopped pecans and crushed pretzels. Place buttercream in large decorating bag fitted with large open star tip. Frost 1 cupcake at a time with buttercream, then roll immediately in pecan mixture. Repeat with remaining cupcakes, frosting and rolling in pecan mixture.
• Drizzle cupcakes with caramel topping. Sprinkle with additional kosher salt. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Serve with ice cream, if desired.

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine the boiling water, cocoa and coffee. Stir until cocoa is dissolved; set aside., In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. , Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in cocoa mixture and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda, salt and baking powder; add to creamed mixture just until moistened., Fill paper-lined muffin cups three-fourths full. Bake at 375° for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in cupcake comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely., Combine hot water and salt; stir until dissolved. Cool. In a large bowl, beat the marshmallow creme, shortening and vanilla until light and fluffy. Gradually add the confectioners' sugar and salt mixture. Beat until fluffy., Cut a small hole in the corner of a pastry or plastic bag; insert a very small tip. Fill with marshmallow filling. Push the tip through the top to fill each cupcake., In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter and vanilla until fluffy. Add confectioners' sugar; beat until smooth. Frost cupcakes. Decorate with sprinkles and candies as desired. Refrigerate leftovers.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease 15 muffin cups or line with paper baking cups.
• In a large bowl, stir together the white sugar, flour, cocoa, and baking soda. Make a well in the center, and pour in the water, grape jelly, mayonnaise, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla. Mix just until blended. Spoon the batter into the prepared cups, dividing evenly.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the tops spring back when lightly pressed, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool in the pan set over a wire rack. When cool, arrange the cupcakes on a serving platter.
• Make the frosting while the cupcakes cool. Combine the butter, half-and-half and brown sugar in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Remove from the heat and stir in the confectioners' sugar and vanilla. Set the pan over a bowl of ice water and whisk or beat with an electric mixer until fluffy. Frost cupcakes when they are completely cool.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3 and line a 12-hole muffin tin with cases. Gently melt the butter, chocolate, sugar and 100ml hot water together in a large saucepan, stirring occasionally, then set aside to cool a little while you weigh the other ingredients.
• Stir the eggs and vanilla into the chocolate mixture. Put the flour into a large mixing bowl, then stir in the chocolate mixture until smooth. Spoon into cases until just over three-quarters full (you may have a little mixture leftover), then set aside for 5 mins before putting on a low shelf in the oven and baking for 20-22 mins. Leave to cool.
• For the icing, melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of barely simmering water. Once melted, turn off the heat, stir in the double cream and sift in the icing sugar. When spreadable, top each cake with some and decorate with your favourite sprinkles and sweets.