Chocolate Curls For Devils Food Cupcakes

CHOCOLATE VELVET CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan). Place paper baking cup in each of 24 regular-size muffin cups.
• In large bowl, beat all cupcake ingredients except chocolate chips with electric mixer on medium speed about 2 minutes, or until well blended. Stir in chocolate chips. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups.
• Bake 18 to 24 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center of cupcake comes out almost clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from muffin pans. Cool completely.
• In medium bowl, beat cream cheese and butter with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Beat in powdered sugar until smooth. Beat in butter flavor until icing is creamy. Place in decorating bag fitted with tip; pipe large swirls on tops of cupcakes. Top with chocolate curls. Store covered in refrigerator.

DEVIL'S FOOD CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Whisk together cocoa and hot water until smooth. In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
• Melt butter with sugar in a saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring to combine. Remove from heat, and pour into a mixing bowl. With an electric mixer on medium-low speed, beat until mixture is cooled, 4 to 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Add vanilla, then cocoa mixture, and beat until combined. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture in two batches, alternating with the sour cream, and beating until just combined after each.
• Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three- quarters full. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Transfer tins to wire racks to cool 15 minutes; turn out cupcakes onto racks and let cool completely. Cupcakes can be stored overnight at room temperature, or frozen up to 2 months, in airtight containers.
• To finish, use a small offset spatula to spread cupcakes with frosting.

CHOCOLATE CURLS FOR DEVIL'S FOOD CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Use a vegetable peeler to slice strips from a slightly warm block of good-quality chocolate (heat in microwave for 5-second intervals, checking after each, until just warm to the touch; do not overheat). To produce tight curls, start from the far edge of the chocolate and move the peeler toward you. The delicate curls are best used immediately; you can even shave the curls right onto a cupcake.

DEVIL'S FOOD CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Line 2 muffin tins with 16 paper muffin cases. Whisk together 175ml boiling water with the cocoa powder in a medium-sized bowl until smooth. Allow the mixture to cool until it reaches room temperature (put it in the freezer to speed it up), then whisk it with the eggs and vanilla.
• In an electric mixer, combine the flour, salt, bicarbonate of soda and sugar. Mix on a low speed for 30 secs, then add one-third of the cocoa liquid and softened butter. Keep mixing on a low speed, then turn up to medium high and beat for 1 min. Add the remaining liquid in 3 batches, beating each one for 30 secs. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl with a spatula and mix one more time. Fill the cupcake liners three-quarters full and bake for 20 mins, then remove and let them cool in the tin.
• To make the frosting, beat the butter and cream cheese for 2-3 mins until creamy, then add the vanilla. While still mixing, pour in the sugar in 4 batches, beating each time to fully combine. Beat for a further min, then chill for 2 hrs.
• Swirl the frosting over the cooled cupcakes and decorate with silver balls or whatever you like.

DEVIL'S FOOD CUPCAKES

Steps:

• To make the cupcakes:
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 1 (12-cup) muffin pan with paper cupcake liners.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and 1/4 teaspoon salt.
• In a large bowl, beat the butter and the sugar together until light and fluffy.
• Slowly beat in the eggs, 1 at a time. Mix together the milk, coffee, and vanilla in a measuring cup. Add 1/2 the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, beat to combine, then add the milk- coffee mixture and continue to beat, then add the remaining dry mixture. The mixture will look thick and airy.
• Using an ice cream scoop, fill each cupcake liner 3/4 way full. Bake until a toothpick, inserted in the middle of the cupcake, comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Remove the cupcakes from the oven to a wire rack and let cool before frosting.
• To make the frosting: Bring the heavy whipping cream to a gentle simmer. Add the chopped chocolate to a bowl with the butter and pour the hot cream over. Whisk the mixture until melted and smooth. Let it sit for 5 to 8 minutes until it thickens up.
• Frost the cupcakes with the chocolate frosting using an offset spatula. Top each with a raspberry.

DEVIL'S FOOD CAKE WITH BROWN SUGAR BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 3 (8- by 2-inch) round cake pans and line bottoms of each with rounds of wax or parchment paper. Butter paper and dust pans with flour, knocking out excess.
• Whisk together boiling water and cocoa powder in a bowl until smooth, then whisk in milk and vanilla. 3Sift together flour, baking soda, and salt in another bowl.
• Beat together butter and sugars in a large bowl with an electric mixer until pale and fluffy, then add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in flour and cocoa mixtures alternately in batches, beginning and ending with flour mixture (batter may look curdled).
• Divide batter among pans, smoothing tops. Bake in upper and lower thirds of oven, switching position of pans halfway through baking, until a tester comes out clean and layers begin to pull away from sides of pans, 20 to 25 minutes total. Cool layers in pans on racks 10 minutes, then invert onto racks, remove wax paper, and cool completely.
• Put 1 cake layer, rounded side up, on a cake plate and spread with about 1 cup buttercream. Top with another cake layer, rounded side up, and spread with another cup buttercream. Top with remaining cake layer and frost top and sides of cake with remaining buttercream.

DEVIL'S FOOD CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Early in the day, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and generously butter the bottom and sides of one 9-inch springform pan (preferably a nonstick one). Wrap the outside with aluminum foil, covering the bottom and extending all the way up the sides.
• To make the cheesecake layer, put one package of the cream cheese, 1/3 cup of the sugar, and the cornstarch in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer on low until creamy, about 3 minutes, scraping down the bowl a couple of times. Blend in the remaining cream cheese, one package at a time, scraping down the bowl after each. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat in the remaining 1 cup sugar, then the vanilla. Blend in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after adding each. Beat in the cream just until it's completely blended. Be careful not to overmix!
• Gently spoon the batter into the foil-wrapped springform and place it in a large shallow pan containing hot water that comes about 1 inch up the sides of the springform. Bake the cake at 350 degrees F until the edges are light golden brown and the top is slightly golden tan, about 1 1/4 hours. Remove the cake from the water bath, transfer to a wire rack, and cool in the pan for 2 hours, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate (while still in the pan) until it's completely cold, about 4 hours. Place in the freezer until ready to assemble the cake.
• Meanwhile, prepare the devil's food cake layers. Check that the oven is preheated to 350 degrees F and that the water bath has been removed. Generously butter the bottom and sides of three 9-inch round layer cake pans. Very important: Line the bottom of all three pans with parchment or waxed paper (don't let the paper come up the sides).
• Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a small bowl. Cream the butter and both sugars together in a large bowl with the mixer on medium until light yellow and creamy. Add the egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each. Beat in the melted chocolate and vanilla. Using a wooden spoon, stir in the flour mixture, alternately with the milk, mixing well after each until blended.
• Put the egg whites and cream of tartar in a clean medium-size bowl and beat with clean, dry beaters on high until stiff (but not dry) peaks form. Fold about one-third of the whites into the chocolate batter until they disappear, then gently fold in the remaining whites. Don't worry if you still see a few white specks--they'll disappear during baking. Divide the batter evenly between the three pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the centers comes out with moist crumbs clinging to it, about 30 minutes. Cool the cakes in the pans on a rack for 15 minutes, then remove the cakes from the pans and gently peel off the paper liners. Let cool completely, about 2 hours, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight or until ready to assemble the cake.
• Early on the day you plan to serve the cake, make the chocolate curls and lay them out on the marble or baking sheet to dry. Now make the frosting: In a large bowl, sift the confectioners' sugar, cocoa, and salt together. In another large bowl, cream the butter with a mixer on high until light yellow and slightly thickened, about 3 minutes. With the mixer still running, beat in the chocolate, corn syrup, and vanilla. Reduce the mixer speed to low and beat in the sugar-cocoa mixture in two additions, beating well after each. Blend in the cream until the frosting is a spreading consistency, adding a little more cream if needed. Whip the frosting on high until light and creamy, about 2 minutes more.
• To assemble the cake, remove the cheesecake from the freezer and let stand at room temperature about 10 minutes. Place one layer of devil's food cake, top side down, on a cake plate and spread with some of the frosting. Release and remove the ring of the springform, then remove the frozen cheesecake from the bottom of the pan. Place top side down on the frosted cake layer and spread with some frosting. Top with the second devil's food layer, top side down. Spread with more frosting and cover with the third devil's food layer, top side up. Brush away any crumbs from the sides and top of the fudge cake layers. Frost the sides and top of the cake with the remaining frosting, spreading the top with frosting about 1/2 inch deep. Use a long metal spatula that has been warmed under hot running water to smooth out the frosting on the sides and top of the cake. Coat the sides with the chocolate curls, placing them where you want. With a small spatula or table knife, swirl the frosting on top into a decorative design. Or, if you wish, decorate with a crosshatch design: Make about 6 vertical lines, 1 inch apart, then crisscross 6 more horizontal lines the same distance, swirling the icing a little as you go.
• Refrigerate the cake for at least 2 hours to allow the cheesecake to thaw enough to easily slice. Use a sharp straight-edge knife, not a serrated one, to cut it. Cover any leftover cake with plastic wrap and refrigerate, or wrap and freeze for up to 1 month.
• Chocolate Curls: At Junior's, the bakers often use dark chocolate curls to decorate cheesecakes for a delicious and very professional looking finish.
• For large chocolate curls:
• If you have a marble slab, use it. If not, use a baking sheet (place the sheet in the refrigerator to chill first).
• Melt the chocolate over low heat. Spread it out in a thin sheet on the flat marble surface--but not so thin that you can see the surface through the chocolate. Let the chocolate cool.
• Using a baker's bench scraper or a wide, flat metal spatula, scrape up the chocolate into wide curls, lifting them up as you work. The curls will be different widths and lengths, but that's fine. If the chocolate curls up into one long sheet, let it cool more before scraping again. Carefully place the curls where you want them on the cake. If you are decorating the side of the cake with them, press the curls gently into the frosting with your fingers so they stay, without falling off.
• For smaller chocolate curls:
• Buy a thick bar of chocolate and use at room temperature (not straight from the refrigerator). Stand up the chocolate bar vertically, slightly on an angle, against a flat surface, such as a chopping board. Slowly scrape down the bar with a vegetable peeler, allowing the chocolate to fall away into a pile of soft curls. Using a wide, flat metal spatula, carefully place them on the cake.

DEVIL'S FOOD CUPCAKES

Steps:

• 1. Put 18 paper baking liners in a muffin pan.
• 2. Put the margarine, sugar, eggs, flour, baking soda and cocoa in a large bowl, using an electric hand mixer beat together until just smooth. Using a metal spoon, fold in the sour cream. Spoon batter into paper liners.=
• 3. Bake the cupcakes in a preheated 350F oven for 20 minutes or until well risen and firm to the touch. Transfer to wire rack to cool.
• 4. To make frosting. Break the chocolate into a heat proof bowl. Set the bowl over a gently simmering double boiler and heat unill melted, stir occasionally. Remove from heat and cool slightly, then whisk in the sugar and sour cream until combined. Spread frosting over top of cupcakes and let set in refrigerator before serving. If liked, serve decorated with chocolate curls made by shaving semisweet chocolate with potato peeler.

DEVILS FOOD CUPCAKES WITH MINT BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F / 177°C / Gas Mark 4. Line cupcake pans with papers.
• In a medium bowl, whisk cocoa and hot water together until smooth.
• Let cool slightly, then whisk in sour cream and melted chocolate until combined.
• In a separate bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt; set aside.
• Using an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes.
• Add eggs, one at a time, beating to combine after each. Scrape down sides of bowl. Beat in vanilla.
• With mixer on low speed, add flour mixture in two parts, alternating with the cocoa mixture and beginning and ending with the flour; beat until combined.
• Using a scoop (I used a size 20 scoop) divide batter evenly into cupcake liners. Bake for 16 - 18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
• Let cool completely before frosting.
• Using an electric mixer, beat all ingredients together on low speed for one minute until combined, then at high for another 3 - 4 minutes until light and fluffy.
• Transfer into piping bag fitted with star tip & pipe frosting onto cupcakes. Garnish with shaved creme de menthe candy.