Summary of the lessons learned after making this recipe multiple times - this recipe makes about 18 cupcakes, but you should still halve the batch for both the caramel and the frosting. also, heat the caramel to 375 for a firmer caramel filling.
The Cupcakes
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
3/4 cup buttermilk
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup warm water
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line mini muffin tin with paper liners. Whisk together flour, cocoa, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. With mixer on low speed, add eggs, buttermilk, oil, extract, and the water; beat until smooth and combined.
Honestly, the first time I made this recipe,
this batter looked super thin to me, so I added about
1/2c flour. After that, it still looked super thin. But... I decided
to try a test batch, so I baked a couple and they looked fine, so
this recipe may need a bit more flour, but it should still look
thinner than the average cake batter when you put it in the oven.
The second time I made these cupcakes the batter looked fine...
i'm guessing i just screwed it up the first time. I would recommend
making the batter as-is.
Spoon the batter into liners about three-quarters full. Bake 15-20 minutes, or until tester comes out clean. Cool completely.
Use a paring knife to cut a cone-shaped piece (about 1/2 inch deep) from the center of each cupcake and throw away the pieces.
Throw away the pieces?!? What is Martha TALKING about!
Absurd.
Salted Caramel Filling
Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups sugar
2/3 cup water
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
2 1/2 teaspoons sea salt, preferably fleur de sel
Directions
Heat sugar with the water and corn syrup in a heavy saucepan over high, stirring occasionally, until syrup is clear; clip a candy thermometer to side of pan and stop stirring.
use a bigger pan than you think you'll need to...
later when you add the cream, it will expand,
and you'll be grateful that you're not trying to
clean caramel off of your stovetop.
Boil, gently swirling pan occasionally, until mixture is caramelized and just reaches 360°F.
the second time i made this, i accidentally
heated the caramel to 375 - excellent. the caramel
was a bit richer tasting, and had a firmer set in
the cupcakes.
Use immediately; if caramel begins to harden reheat gently until pourable.
Let me just say that my first batch of caramel did NOT
come out nearly this well. This is what it looked like.
... yea. For some reason I turned down the heat after
it started to boil, had it on a low boil for seriously an hour.
then when I got frustrated that it wasn't caramelizing, I
turned the heat up high, stirred furiously, and it just all crystallized.
dumb idea. alton brown would be ashamed of me.
dumb idea. alton brown would be ashamed of me.
anyways, here's another shot of my pretty pretty caramel.
See, I did do it right! (eventually).
As written, this is really salty caramel (good, depending
on your palette). The second time I made these I only
added about 1 tsp sea salt, and they were great.
As written, this is really salty caramel (good, depending
on your palette). The second time I made these I only
added about 1 tsp sea salt, and they were great.
Spoon 1 to 2 teaspoons warm Salted Caramel Filling into each hollowed-out cupcake. You will notice the caramel will sink into the cupcake a little, just fill it up a bit more.
Yea, "1 to 2 teaspoons?" I think I ended up with a little more
than a tablespoon in each. As the caramel soaked into the
cupcake I just kept refilling them - I definitely had more than enough
caramel i'd halve the recipe next time.
Let the caramel cool completely.
Dark Chocolate Frosting
Ingredients:
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon boiling water
2 1/4 cups (4 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 pounds best-quality semi-sweet chocolate, melted and cooled
Directions:
Combine cocoa and boiling water, stirring until cocoa has dissolved.
With electric mixer on medium-high, beat butter, confectioners' sugar, and salt until pale and fluffy. Reduce speed to low. Add melted and cooled chocolate, beating until combined and scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Beat in the cocoa mixture.
Yea... the first time i made this, it was
way too thin. Way. I ended up more than 2
more cups of powdered sugar until it was an
way too thin. Way. I ended up more than 2
more cups of powdered sugar until it was an
appropriate consistency.
the second time it was fine.
just make sure not to melt the butter, just soften it.
the second time it was fine.
just make sure not to melt the butter, just soften it.
Use a pastry bag with a medium open-star tip (I used Wilton #17) and pipe Dark Chocolate Frosting onto each cupcake.Garnish each cupcake with a swirl of caramel and a pinch of sea salt. Enjoy!
Here's the best series of pictures yet :D
YUM!
I think if you don't find a job right after school, you should go into some kind of baking business. Looks awesome! I'm glad their not all at my houes
ReplyDelete