Chocolate Cupcakes With Neapolitan Frosting Food

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.

NEAPOLITAN CUPCAKES WITH STRAWBERRY BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• For the batter: In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the butter and sugar and beat until light and fluffy. One at a time, add the eggs, mixing each one in completely before adding the next. Add the vanilla and beat to combine.
• In another bowl, sift or whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. With the mixer running, add a third of the flour mixture and then the milk, beating just to incorporate. Beat in the remaining flour mixture. Divide the batter between two bowls and set one bowl aside (this will be the white cake batter).
• Mix the cocoa powder into the remaining bowl of batter (this will be the chocolate batter).
• Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners or spray with nonstick cooking spray. Divide the white cake batter evenly among the muffin cups, and then do the same with the chocolate batter.
• Bake until a cake tester comes out clean, 15 to 18 minutes. Cool slightly, then transfer to a wire rack to cool while you prepare the buttercream.
• For the strawberry buttercream: Puree the strawberries in a blender until completely smooth. Press through a fine-mesh sieve into a small saucepot. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook, stirring frequently, until reduced by half, about 10 minutes; you'll need at least 1/2 cup. Cool completely.
• In a mixing bowl, add 3 cups of the confectioners' sugar, the butter and the vanilla and beat with a hand mixer until combined. Add the strawberry reduction, beat until incorporated, and then gradually add the remaining 1 cup confectioners' sugar. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a round tip and pipe the buttercream onto the cupcakes.

NEAPOLITAN CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line muffin pans with paper liners.
• For the chocolate cupcakes: In a medium bowl, cream together both sugars and the oil. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, and then stir in the vanilla. Combine flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt, add to the creamed mixture and mix well. Stir in the milk until the batter is smooth. Set aside.
• For the strawberry cupcakes: In a medium bowl, cream together the butter, cream cheese, granulated sugar and gelatin. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, and then stir in the vanilla. Combine the cake flour and baking powder, add to the creamed mixture and mix well. Stir in the milk and strawberries until the batter is smooth. Set aside.
• For the vanilla cupcakes: In a medium bowl, cream together the butter, cream cheese and granulated sugar. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, and then stir in the vanilla. Combine the flour and baking powder, add to the creamed mixture and mix well. Stir in the milk until the batter is smooth. Set aside
• Use a miniature cupcake scooper and scoop all three batters into the cupcake liner. First scoop the chocolate batter, second the strawberry batter and third the vanilla batter. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. The cupcakes are done when they spring back to the touch. Let cool.
• For the chocolate frosting: In a small bowl, melt the chocolate in the microwave starting at 30 seconds and stir. Melt in increments of 30 seconds as needed so that you do not burn or overheat the chocolate.
• In a medium bowl, cream together the butter, melted chocolate and vanilla until mixed well. Then add the confectioners' sugar.
• For the strawberry frosting: In a medium bowl, cream together the cream cheese and butter. Add the confectioners' sugar and strawberry extract.
• For the vanilla frosting: In a medium bowl, cream together the cream cheese and butter. Add the confectioners' sugar and vanilla extract.
• To assemble: After all the cupcakes have cooled, frost each cupcake in the same order you placed the batter (chocolate, strawberry, vanilla).

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.

PEPPERMINT HOT CHOCOLATE CUPCAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a cupcake or muffin pan with 24 regular-size cupcake liners.
• Combine the chocolate chips and hot coffee together, stirring occasionally until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth. In a large bowl sift together the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In another bowl, beat the eggs with an electric mixer until thickened slightly. Slowly add the buttermilk, oil and vanilla. Add the melted chocolate mixture to the eggs, and combine completely. Add the sugar mixture and beat on medium speed until well combined.
• Fill the prepared cupcake liners three-quarters full with the cupcake batter. Place in the oven and bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 18 to 21 minutes. Cool the cupcakes completely.
• While the cupcakes are baking, prepare the Chocolate Ganache and the Peppermint Marshmallow Buttercream Frosting. Put the frosting into a pastry bag fitted with a star tip.
• To assemble: Using an apple corer, remove the center of each cupcake. Fill each cupcake with a spoonful of the Chocolate Ganache. Using the frosting-filled pastry bag, frost the cupcakes. Sprinkle with crushed peppermint candies.
• Bring the heavy cream and butter to a simmer in a small saucepan. Turn off the heat and add in the chocolate. Stir the mixture until smooth. Set aside to cool.
• Whip together the butter and marshmallow cream, using an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Add the peppermint extract. Slowly add 2 cups of the powdered sugar and continue to mix on a slow speed. Add the milk and additional powdered sugar, up to 2 cups, until desired consistency is reached.

NEAPOLITAN CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 170C/150C fan/gas 3. Line a cupcake tin with cases. Cream the sugar with the butter using an electric whisk, until combined. Crack in the egg and add the vanilla extract, then whisk to combine. Add half the flour, the baking powder and a pinch of salt, whisk to combine, then add half the milk and whisk briefly again. Repeat to use the remaining flour and milk. Don't worry if the mixture seems loose.
• Spoon about half the mixture into a separate bowl, add the cocoa and chocolate chips and stir well to combine.
• Using a teaspoon, divide the chocolate mixture between the 12 cupcake cases. Use a wooden skewer to spread the mixture evenly to the edges. Rinse and dry the teaspoon then repeat with the vanilla layer, taking care not to disturb the chocolate below and spreading to the edges again.
• Bake for 25 mins. Leave to cool slightly in the tin before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
• To make the frosting, sift the icing sugar, then combine with the butter using an electric whisk. It will look crumbly initially - persevere and it will come together. If you're icing is too stiff, add 1 tbsp milk to the mixture. Carefully add 1-2 drops of the food colouring and combine to make a pale pink frosting to ice the cakes. When you cut them in half, the coloured layers will be revealed.

DOUBLE CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES WITH CHOCOLATE FROSTING

Steps:

• Pre-heat stove to 350 degrees. Line a cupcake baking pan using liners.
• Place vegetable oil, the chocolate chips, along with the butter right into a microwave safe dish. Microwave with 30 second amounts, mixing each 30 seconds, till only just melted.
• Blend the flour, the baking soda and the powder, the cocoa powder, along with the sea salt within a medium sized dish. Stir until mixed.
• Within a large dish, blend the sugars, the eggs, along with the vanilla. Stir till blended. Add the melted dark chocolate mix, and then stir till blended.
• Switch adding the flour mix along with the yogurt to the sugar mix. Blend till just mixed ( I simply made use of a whisk). Include the hot water very last, and blend till it's mixed.
• Make use of a cookie scoop to split the mixture equally between your cupcake liners. I filled up mine around 3/4 of the way full, however I would certainly fill slightly less the next time.
• Cook for 16 to 18 minutes, or till a tooth-pick comes out clear.
• For The Frosting.
• Whip the butter with high using a blender for around 2 minutes. Next add the powdered sugar along with the cocoa powder, gradually.Next add the vanilla. Add the whole milk as needed for preferred thickness. Whip for around 3 minutes making it fluffier.
• Pipe the actual icing on top of the cupcakes by using a sealed star tip. Top using dark chocolate sprinkles.

CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 350 degrees and line 4 6-cup muffin tins with cupcake liners. Sift together the flour, soda, salt, and cocoa powder and set aside. Use a standing mixer or hand-mixer to cream the butter. Add the sugar and vanilla and mix to combine. Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each one until smooth.
• On the lowest speed, alternately add the dry ingredients in three additions and the milk in two. Beat only until smooth and fully combined, you don't want to overwork the batter.
• Scoop the batter into the prepared pans filling each about two-thirds full (don't bother to smooth the tops--the batter will level itself as it cooks). Bake the cupcakes for about 25 minutes, or until the tops are puffed and spring back when lightly pressed. Be careful not to overbake the cakes, but know that if you take them out too early they may sink a bit. Cool the cakes in the muffin tins for about 5 minutes and then remove them to a rack and let cool completely.
• To make the ganache, put all the ingredients in a small, deep saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook, whisking occasionally to combine, until the chocolate and butter are nearly melted. Take the pan off the heat and whisk continuously until all the chocolate is melted; the ganache should be shiny and without any lumps.
• When the ganache is about room temperature, use a butter knife to spread it evenly on top of the cakes; sprinkle with nonpareil if you like. The cakes can be made a day in advance and refrigerated (they actually get better) or frozen in an airtight container.

CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES WITH CHOCOLATE FROSTING

Steps:

• Cupcakes: sift the flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt into the bowl of a heavy mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; add sugar.
• Turn the mixer on low and add, in order; water, milk, eggs, oil and vanilla; scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat on medium, briefly, to achieve a smooth batter.
• Scoop the batter into muffin tins lines with paper baking cups; each cup should be about half full; slide the tins onto a baking sheet and bake at 325° until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 30 minutes.
• While cupcakes are cooling, prepare the frosting.
• Frosting: Cream the butter in the bowl of a mixer, using the paddle attachment; beat in the corn syrup, vanilla and salt.
• With the machine off, spoon in the cocoa; carefully turn the mixer on low so as to avoid death by cocoa inhalement; do likewise for the sugar, in three parts; last, add the cream then beat until fluffy.
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• When the cupcakes are completely cool, frost generously and shake on some sprinkles if you like.