Chocolate Cupcakes with White Chocolate Frosting

  • Chocolate Cupcakes with White Chocolate Frosting

    These cupcakes are dedicated to my sister, who has a serious thing for chocolate cake.  (Cupcakes count, too, although she’s not necessarily into the whole cupcake rage thing- she’s just into chocolate cake.  What a purist.  Gotta love it.)

    It’s Robin’s birthday today, so these chocolate goodies are dedicated to her… I just wish I was with her to watch her blow out the candles (although I’m sort of glad to not be in Winterpeg- where she lives in a strange state of frozen bliss- to be honest).  Happy Birthday, Sista!

    This recipe is adapted from my Old-Fashioned Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Glaze, which just happens to be vegan (for those of you who care).  The whole vegan thing gets thrown out the window with the frosting, though (butter… cream… yum)- so if you’re making cupcakes for your sister’s birthday, and she’s a vegan, go with the original recipe.

    CUPCAKES:

    3 cups all-purpose flour

    2 cups sugar

    1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

    2 teaspoons baking soda

    1 teaspoons salt

    2 cups hot water

    3/4 cups vegetable oil

    1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar

    1 tablespoon instant coffee granules (or 2 teaspoons instant espresso granules)

    1 tablespoon vanilla extract

    1 cup mini chocolate chips- optional (Enjoy Life brand has great mini chips that are vegan)

    WHITE CHOCOLATE FROSTING:

    6 oz. white chocolate, chopped from a block (or 3/4 cups of white chocolate chips)

    1 cup unsalted butter, just softened to room temperature

    2 ½ cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted 

    1/4 teaspoon salt

    ¼ cup heavy whipping cream

    ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

    1. Preheat oven to 350° and spray 24 cupcake liners with non-stick spray.
    2. CUPCAKES: In a large bowl, whisk flour through salt ingredients together.
    3. In a measuring cup, stir hot water with oil, vinegar, instant coffee/espresso and vanilla together.  Pour into bowl with dry ingredients and whisk until just combined.  Stir in chocolate chips if using.
    4. Pour batter into cupcake liners and bake for 15 – 20 minutes (until cake tester/wooden skewer comes out clean).  Cool cupcake tins on a rack for 15 minutes then remove cupcakes to finish cooling. 
    5. WHITE CHOCOLATE FROSTING: melt white chocolate in microwave for 45 seconds, then stir and melt again in 30-second increments, stirring until smooth.  Allow to cool to room temperature. In a large bowl, beat butter with sifted icing sugar and salt until well combined and fluffy.  Gradually add cream and vanilla to bowl, beating until just combined.  Add melted/cooled chocolate, and stir to combine.  Beat frosting for a few minutes until thick and amazing.  Spread onto cooled cupcakes and decorate as you see fit.

    Tips:

    • Chocolate quality really does matter.  Please use great white chocolate (especially), since it’s such a key ingredient in the frosting.  And as for the cake, well, the better the chocolate, the better the cake.  The Ghiradelli people make amazing cocoa powder, and you can click on the link to the right of the page to purchase.
    • You MUST let the white chocolate cool before adding to the frosting mixture! I know it takes a bit of time, but you’ll ruin the frosting if you add warm chocolate to the combination.  The butter should be barely room temperature, too, when you go to beat it.  Trust me.  I have learned this the hard way.
    • Planning on using sprinkles? Just make sure you sprinkle when the frosting is just spread on the cupcakes, so they stick a bit.
    • These cupcakes do freeze well- so that’s good news in case you need to save some for when you actually see your sister again.  The frosting does freeze well, too, in a ziploc bag.  Just thaw in the fridge and frost when you’re ready.

     

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    December 30th, 2012 | More Sweets Please | No Comments | Tags: ,

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