Chocolate Cupcakes With Meringue Frosting Food

CHOCOLATE SWISS MERINGUE BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• In medium glass or metal bowl, beat egg whites and sugar with whisk until blended. Set over pan of simmering water, beating occasionally, until sugar has dissolved and egg mixture reaches 160°F on candy thermometer, 16 to 20 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Pour into bowl of electric stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment. Beat on high speed 2 to 3 minutes or until glossy peaks form and bowl has cooled to feel slightly warm. Still on high speed, slowly add 1 1/2 cups softened butter, one piece at a time, scraping side of bowl occasionally, until mixture is smooth, thick and shiny, 12 to 14 minutes. Beat in vanilla. If mixture separates, beat until smooth.
• In small microwavable bowl, microwave chopped chocolate uncovered on High 60 seconds, stirring halfway through microwave time. Continue to microwave in 10-second increments, until chocolate can be stirred smooth. Let stand 10 minutes. Beat cooled melted chocolate into frosting until smooth.
• Fill and frost 1 (8-inch) three-layer cake.

THE BEST CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES

Steps:

• For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two 12-cup muffin tins with paper liners.
• Whisk together the cake flour, cocoa powder, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer. Whisk together the buttermilk, coffee, oil, eggs and vanilla in a separate bowl.
• Pour half of the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and beat on low speed just until combined. Scrape down the bowl then add the remaining wet ingredients and beat to combine. Scrape down the bowl and paddle. Increase the speed to medium and beat for a full minute.
• Fill the prepared cupcake tins 2/3 of the way full. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of each comes out clean and the top springs back when lightly pressed, 15 to 18 minutes.
• For the frosting: Melt the chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl set over simmering water in a medium saucepan. Remove from the simmering water and let it cool until room temperature, about 30 minutes.
• Beat the butter and salt in a large bowl with an electric mixer on high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Reduce the speed to low, drizzle in the melted chocolate and beat until completely blended. Gradually beat in the confectioners' sugar, cocoa powder and vanilla. Increase the speed to high and beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
• Transfer the frosting to a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip. Decoratively pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes.

CHOCOLATE FUDGE CUPCAKES FILLED WITH CHOCOLATE FUDGE COOKIE BAR AND MARSHMALLOW MERINGUE FROSTING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line cupcake pans with cupcake liners.
• Sift together the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. In a large bowl, combine the buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla. Slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry. Slowly stir in the coffee and water.
• Fill the cupcake pans about two-thirds full. Place a piece of Chocolate Fudge Cookie Bar in each cupcake. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean, 9 to 11 minutes. Cool completely, and then frost with Marshmallow Meringue Frosting and enjoy!
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Combine the cookie crumbs and salt with the melted butter. Press into the bottom of a greased 13 by 9-inch pan. Bake for 8 minutes and let cool. Melt the chocolate chips and condensed milk together until completely melted and combined. Pour over the cookie crust and let cool.
• Beat the sugar, water, egg whites, and cream of tartar over a double boiler until stiff peaks form, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla. Continue beating until the frosting is thick, about 3 minutes.

GANACHE-FILLED CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES WITH SEVEN-MINUTE MERINGE FROSTING

Steps:

• For cupcakes:
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two 12-cup standard muffin pans with paper liners. Sift flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt into medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat sugar and butter in large bowl until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating until well incorporated after each addition. Beat in vanilla, half of flour mixture, then 1 cup hot water. Add remaining flour mixture; beat just until blended. Let batter stand until cooled and slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir in chocolate chips. Divide batter among muffin papers (about 1/4 cup batter each).
• Bake cupcakes until tester inserted into center comes out with some crumbs attached, 22 to 25 minutes. Cool cupcakes completely in pans.
• For filling and frosting:
• Bring cream just to boil in heavy small saucepan. Place chocolate chips in medium bowl; pour hot cream over. Let stand 1 minute, then whisk until melted and smooth. Let stand at room temperature until cool and firm, about 2 hours. (Alternatively, chill ganache until cool and firm, stirring occasionally, about 1 hour.) DO AHEAD: Can be made 4 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.
• Whisk 1/3 cup water, sugar, egg whites, cream of tartar, and coarse salt to blend in large metal bowl. Set bowl over saucepan of barely simmering water. Using electric mixer, beat mixture until soft peaks form, about 5 minutes. Remove bowl from over water and continue beating until frosting is cool to touch, stiff, and billowy, about 2 minutes. Beat vanilla into frosting.
• Using thumb, press down center of each cupcake from top to bottom, forming deep pocket. Spoon or pipe ganache into pocket of each cupcake.
• Frost cupcakes, forming tall peaks. DO AHEAD: Cupcakes can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with cake dome and store at room temperature.

CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a muffin pan with paper or foil liners. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa and salt. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well with each addition, then stir in the vanilla. Add the flour mixture alternately with the milk; beat well. Fill the muffin cups 3/4 full.
• Bake for 15 to 17 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean. Frost with your favorite frosting when cool.

CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES WITH NEAPOLITAN FROSTING

Steps:

• For the cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two 12-cup muffin tins with paper liners.
• Whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. In another bowl, whisk together 1 cup water and the oil, eggs and vanilla until well blended. Pour the egg mixture into the flour mixture and stir until just incorporated.
• Divide the batter evenly between the prepared muffin cups. Bake until a wooden pick inserted into the center of the cupcakes comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes. Cool the cupcakes in the tins for 5 minutes, then remove from the tins and cool completely on a wire cooling rack.
• For the frosting: In the bowl of stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter until soft and fluffy. Gradually add the confectioners' sugar, beating until smooth. Beat in the vanilla. Add 1 tablespoon water; beat to the desired consistency. Remove half of the frosting to a bowl. To the remaining half, add the red food coloring and strawberry preserves; beat until incorporated.
• Fit a piping bag with a star tip. Set the bag, tip-side down, in a large cup and fill with both frostings, keeping each color separate in one half of the bag. Pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes.

RED VELVET CUPCAKES WITH FLUFFY MERINGUE ICING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line the muffin tin with pink or white cupcake liners
• In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder and salt.
• In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar on high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Occasionally turn off mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Reduce the speed to low, add the eggs, 1 at a time, and mix until incorporated after each addition. Add the food coloring and vanilla and mix well.
• With the mixer on low, alternately add the flour mixture and sour cream in 3 additions, beginning and ending with the flour, waiting until each addition is well incorporated before adding the next. In a small bowl, combine the vinegar and soda, and once fizzing has stopped, add to the batter and mix well.
• Divide the batter evenly in the tin, filling each liner about 3/4 full. Bake until cupcakes are set and spring back when touched, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.
• For meringue icing: Bring a few inches of water to a gentle simmer in a saucepan large enough to hold a standing mixer bowl above the water. Whisk the egg whites, sugar, cream of tartar, and salt together in the bowl until combined. Set the bowl over the simmering water and whisk constantly until sugar is completely dissolved and mixture is smooth and hot to the touch, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to the standing mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat at medium-high speed until meringue is cool and holds a soft peak, 4 to 5 minutes. With the speed on low, add the vanilla and almond extracts; increase speed to medium and continue whisking until mixture is glossy and holds a stiff peak, 1 to 2 minutes more.
• To decorate: Using a spoon or offset spatula, spread about 1/2 cup meringue over each cupcake and sprinkle with nonpareils. Cupcakes are best served the day they are made.
• Cook's Note: If you're unable to find gel food coloring, add drops of liquid food coloring until the desired shade of red is achieved.

PEANUT BUTTER CUP CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES WITH TOASTED PEANUT BUTTER MERINGUE FROSTING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Line 14 muffin cups with paper muffin liners.
• Whisk flour, 1 cup sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl. Add milk, vegetable oil, 1 egg, and vanilla extract; mix using an electric mixer on low speed until just combined. Increase speed to medium and mix well.
• Reduce mixer speed to low and slowly pour boiling water into flour mixture. Increase speed to medium and beat for 1 minute.
• Fill each muffin cup halfway and place a peanut butter cup in the center of each.
• Bake in preheated oven until golden and tops spring back when lightly pressed, about 20 minutes. Remove from oven and cool in pan for 5 to 10 minutes. Cool completely on a cooling rack before frosting.
• Set oven rack about 6 inches from the heat source and preheat the oven's broiler.
• Whisk egg whites and sugar together in a bowl until just combined. Pour egg mixture into a small saucepan and heat over medium heat until sugar is dissolved. Return egg mixture to bowl. Whisk egg mixture on high speed until still peaks form.
• Place peanut butter in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat on high at 15-second intervals, stirring in between, until peanut butter is thin and creamy. Gently fold melted peanut butter into egg whites. Transfer peanut butter frosting to a piping bag.
• Pipe frosting onto cooled cupcakes.
• Toast cupcakes under preheated broiler until lightly browned, about 1 minute.