Chocolate Times Three Cupcakes

Chocolate Times Three Cupcakes

I thought I'd make some simple chocolate cupcakes with cocoa whipped cream for some friends who were coming over for dinner tonight, but in my enthusiasm for efficiency, I started making them while I was cooking dinner last night.  Well, when I tried one of the baby cupcakes after they'd cooled, I thought, "Hmm...these have a weird, dry texture, and they're kind of on the salty side."  Then I remembered the sugar.  Too bad I didn't remember it WHILE I was mixing the batter.  Fortunately, this recipe uses Ghirardelli Sweet Ground Chocolate, so there's already some sugar in there, but these were definitely not quite right.  So, I decided to add some sweetness and richness by dipping the tops in a dark chocolate ganache before frosting them with the cocoa whipped cream.  In the end, I thought they tasted FINE.  Next time, I'll make sure I add the sugar, but I will definitely be able to finish off the ones that remain in my fridge.  I even think my husband will be able to choke some down.

Chocolate Times Three Cupcakes

      ---cake recipe adapted from Ghirardelli.com

Ingredients

• 1 cup Ghirardelli Sweet Ground Chocolate and Cocoa (or use 1/2 cup ground cocoa powder and increase the total amount of sugar below to 1 1/4 cups)
• 1 1/2 cups sifted cake flour
• 1 1/2 tablespoons King Arthur Flour Cake Enhancer (optional)
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2/3 cup butter, softened (that's 10 2/3 tablespoons)
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• dark chocolate ganache (recipe below)
• Cocoa Whipped Cream (recipe below)
• chocolate sprinkles (optional--I used ones from King Arthur Flour)

Cake Instructions

Preheat oven to 350ºF.  

Line a 24-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners.

Into a mixer bowl fitted with a whisk attachment (or in a large mixing bowl if you're using a hand mixer), sift flour with ground chocolate, cake enhancer, sugar, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt. 

Add butter and 3/4 cup buttermilk. Beat on low speed to combine ingredients. Scrape sides of bowl and then beat on low-medium speed for 2 minutes. 

Add 1/4 cup buttermilk, eggs, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Beat additional 2 minutes.  

Scoop/pour batter into a gallon-sized zip-top bag and cut about 1/2-inch off one corner.  Pipe batter into cups, 3/4 full.  Bake at 350ºF for 15-18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, or with only a couple of cling-ons. 

Cool in pan 5-10 minutes and then carefully remove cupcakes to finish cooling on a wire rack.

Poke 12-20 holes in each cupcake with a toothpick.

With a spoon, spoon on about 1 teaspoon or so of ganache onto each cupcake, or dip each top into the ganache and then turn upright back onto rack.

Refrigerate cupcakes until ganache is firm.

Pipe cocoa whipped cream onto each cupcake and top with sprinkles, if desired.  Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.

Makes 24 cupcakes.

Dark Chocolate Ganache

• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1/2 pound cup semisweet chocolate (I prefer Dove chocolate) finely chopped

In a heavy saucepan, bring cream to a boil.  Remove from heat.  Stir in butter until it melts.  Stir in chocolate until all is melted.  

Cocoa Whipped Cream:

• 1/2 cup powdered cocoa
• 1/2cup sugar
• 1/4 cup hot tap water
• 2 cups cold heavy whipping cream

In mixer bowl with a wire whisk attachment, mix cocoa, sugar & hot water, mixing to form a paste.  Allow to cool before adding cream.  Add cream and start mixing on low to incorporate cream into cocoa paste.  Stop the mixer and scrape the bowl.  Mix on high until stiff peaks form.