Chocolate Cupcakes with Ganache Filling and Vanilla Buttercream Icing

Ingredients: 

Ganache Filling
2 ounces bittersweet chocolate
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon powdered sugar

Chocolate 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 salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
6 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons white vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup shortening
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
4 cups confectioners' sugar
2-4 tablespoons heavy cream


For the ganache filling, place chocolate, cream, and confectioners' sugar in a double boiler. Cook until chocolate has melted and combined with cream and sugar.

For the cupcakes, preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a muffin pan with cupcake liners.

Place chocolate and cocoa in a medium bowl and pour hot coffee over the mixture. Whisk until smooth and transfer to the refrigerator to cool.

Whisk flour, sugar, salt, and baking soda together in a medium bowl; set aside.

Whisk oil, eggs, vanilla, and vinegar into the cooled chocolate mixture until smooth. Add flour mixture and whisk until batter is smooth.

Divide batter evenly among muffin pan cups, filling each 3/4 full. Place one slightly rounded teaspoon of the ganache filling on top of each cupcake.

Bake until cupcakes are set and firm to the touch, 17-19 minutes. Allow to cool in pans for about 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.

For the frosting, in a large bowl beat butter and shortening until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and salt. Beat in confectioners' sugar, 1 cup at a time, scraping down sides of bowl. Add 2 tablespoons of milk; beat at high speed until light and fluffy. Add additonal milk for desired spreading consistency.

Cadbury Creme Egg Surprise Cupcakes

These cupcakes are seriously the sweetest cupcakes you will ever eat... I was afraid to make these because I wasn't sure if the chocolate would for sure hold its shape inside but it worked out and was well worth it. For the icing I added a mix of vanilla and almond extract which gave it a nice contrast from the sweetness of the actual cupcake.

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups cake flour
1 2/3 cups sugar
3/4 cup butter, softened
2/3 cup cocoa powder
1 package Jell-O instant pudding in Chocolate Fuge
1 1/4 cup water
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 large eggs
24 Cadbury Eggs

For the Frosting:
1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, room temperature
5-6 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
2-3 tablespoons milk


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 muffin pans with cupcake liners. Set aside.

Combine flour, cocoa powder, chocolate fudge mix, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.

In a stand mixer, beat butter and sugar on medium speed till light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time until combined. Add vanilla.

Slowly add flour mixture and water in 3 additions, beginning and ending with flour mixture.

Fill cupcake liners 1/4-1/3 full and place in a Cadbury Egg down inside batter. Top eggs with another 1-2 teaspoons batter.

Bake for 18-20 minutes (test for doneness by inserting a toothpick on the side of the cupcake, since the Cadbury Eggs are in the center).

Let cool in pan for 5 minutes then move to a wire rack to cool completely. 

For The Frosting:

Beat butter until creamy. Add in powdered sugar 1 cup at a time.

Beat in extracts, salt, and milk.

 Add more powdered sugar or milk until desired consistency.

Top cupcakes with frosting and enjoy!

Rose Spritz Cookies with Marshmallow Buttercream

Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

Chocolate cupcakes filled with chocolate chips and topped with Nutella buttercream frosting and more chocolate chips...

Ingredients:

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup greek yogurt
3/4 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

For Buttercream recipe see Cookies n Creme Cupcakes

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line one 12 cup muffin pan with paper liners.

In a medium bowl, sift together cocoa, flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. 

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each, then beat in vanilla. 

With mixer on low speed, add flour mixture in two batches, alternating with greek yogurt and beginning and ending with flour. Gently fold in chocolate chips.

Pour batter into cups. Bake until a toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes.

Cool in pan 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Top with Buttercream and chocolate chips.

Ginger Sandwich Cookies with Orange Buttercream

Tip: Don't make your cookies as big as mine, they grow like crazy while baking!

Ingredients:
½ cup butter, softened
¾ cup sugar
1 medium egg
¼ cup molasses

1½ cups unbleached all purpose flour
pinch salt
1½ tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp ginger

Orange Buttercream
½ cup butter, softened
2½ – 3 cups powdered sugar
zest of 1 orange
2-3 Tbsp orange juice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a bowl, sift together flour, salt, baking soda and spices. Set aside.

In a bowl cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. add egg and mix again. Add molasses and mix until well combined. Slowly add flour mixture until combined.

Wrap dough in plastic wrap. Chill dough for 10-15 minutes.

Scoop rounded balls of dough onto a parchment-lined cookie sheet. Press down slightly with your finger to flatten. 

Bake for 9-11 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack.

Prepare buttercream by creaming butter and zest, then adding in powdered sugar in ½ cup measurements. Thin out to desired consistency with orange juice. Mix until well combined and fluffy, scraping down sides as needed.

Once cookies are cooled, place a generous amount of buttercream on the bottom of half the cookies and top with the other half. Store in an airtight container for up to a few days.