Chocolate Devils Food Cupcakes

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.

DEVIL'S FOOD CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES

Steps:

• PREP MUFFIN PANS: Line two standard muffin pans (one 12-cup and one 6-cup) with paper liners (I prefer brown ones for chocolate cupcakes but white ones work also). Have non-stick spray with flour (Pam or Baker's Joy) handy and spray the papers just before filling with batter. This step will make the muffins easy to release from their paper cases.
• PRE-HEAT OVEN TO 350° F (175° C).
• SIFT flour, cocoa, and baking soda. Add instant coffee and salt; whisk to blend.
• MIX eggs and egg yolk on low speed in Kitchen Aid (or other stand mixer), using the whisk, until combined. Gradually drizzle in the sugar with mixer running; turn speed to high and continue to whip until thick and pale in color, about 10 minutes.
• TURN speed to low and add mayonnaise, a spoonful at a time, with mixer running. Add vanilla.
• ADD ⅓ of the flour and pulse in gently on lowest speed.
• ADD ½ of the water and mix in.
• REPEAT with another ⅓ of the flour and ½ of the water.
• FINISH by adding the remaining ⅓ of the flour and mix just until all the flour is incorporated.
• STOP the mixer and scrape down sides and bottom of bowl and mix in.
• NOTE: The batter will be very thin, thin enough to pour into the muffin pans. Transfer batter (in batches) to a 2-cup measuring cup with a spout; this will make pouring easier. Fill each muffin cup to within ⅜" of the top of the muffin paper.
• BAKE @ 350° F (175° C) 19-20 minutes, until a wooden skewer tests clean.
• LET COOL in the pans for 10-15 minutes, then transfer to a rack to finish cooling.
• CHILL the cupcakes before frosting. I like to have the cupcakes cold (even frozen) when frosting, especially when using buttercream. If you pipe onto warm cupcakes, the buttercream will melt.

CHOCOLATE DEVILS

Steps:

• For the best chocolate sheet cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Use an 18-by-13-inch sheet cake pan. Cut parchment paper to fit the pan and spray each side with baking spray.
• In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, granulated sugar and salt. In a saucepan, melt the butter. Add the cocoa to the butter and stir together. Add 1 cup boiling water to the pan and then allow the mixture to boil for 30 seconds. Pour over the flour mixture, and stir lightly to cool.
• Pour the buttermilk into a bowl and add the baking soda, vanilla and beaten eggs. Stir the buttermilk mixture into the butter/flour mixture. Pour into the prepared cake pan and bake for 20 minutes. Let the cake cool completely.
• Cut the cooled cake into circles with a 2 1/2-inch biscuit cutter, and then lay the circles on another sheet pan with a wire rack; set this pan in the fridge to make sure there is no warmth to the cake at all. (The frosting is so light and fluffy, the coolness will help keep it all together.)
• For the white frosting: In a small saucepan, whisk the flour into the milk and heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens. You want it to be very thick--thicker than cake mix, more like a brownie mix. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature. If in a hurry, place the saucepan over ice in the sink for about 10 minutes or so until the mixture cools. It must be completely cool before you use it in the next step. Stir in the vanilla.
• While the mixture is cooling, cream the butter and granulated sugar together until light and fluffy. You don't want any sugar graininess left. Then add the completely cooled milk/flour mixture and beat the living daylights out of it. If it looks separated, you haven't beaten it enough! Beat it until it all combines and resembles whipped cream. Grab a spoon and taste this wonderful goodness. If there is any left after your taste test, spread it on a cooled chocolate cake.
• For the ganache: Heat the cream until very hot. Add the vanilla, and then pour over the chocolate pieces. Stir to completely melt.
• To assemble: Place the white frosting into a frosting bag. Squeeze the frosting onto one circle of cake. Press a second circle on top. Using a ladle, pour ganache over the cake, allowing the chocolate to run over the sides. Place 3 cherries on the center. Repeat the process with each cake. Chill the cakes until ready to serve!

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 CUPCAKES WITH CHOCOLATE ICING

Steps:

• Place rack in center of oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Place a cupcake liner into each section of an 8-cupcake tin. Whisk together flours, cocoa, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl and reserve. Combine sour cream and buttermilk in a small bowl and reserve. Combine butter, oil and brown sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer and mix on high speed, scraping down sides of bowl, until sugar has dissolved and mixture is light in color, about 1 minute. Add egg and egg white and beat an additional 1 minute. Add 1/3 of flour-cocoa mixture, then 1/3 sour cream buttermilk mixture, mixing well after each addition. Repeat with remaining dry and wet ingredients. Distribute batter evenly among 8 cupcake tins. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into cupcake comes out clean. Let cupcakes cool slightly, transfer to wire racks and cool completely, 10 to15 minutes.
• Combine confectioners' sugar and milk in a small saucepan and heat over low heat until sugar is dissolved. Add chocolate and stir until melted and icing is the consistency of thick pancake batter; add more milk if necessary. While still warm, top each cupcake with 1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons icing. Let icing harden completely, about 10 minutes.
• Place cream cheese in a small microwave-save bowl and microwave on high for approximately 10 to 15 seconds, until cream cheese is melted but before it begins to bubble. Add confectioners' sugar and stir until sugar is dissolved. Let mixture cool slightly and transfer to a small plastic bag. Snip just the very bottom corner of the bag, then force icing to bottom of bag. Pipe a squiggle of icing down the center of each 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.

THE ONLY CHOCOLATE CAKE RECIPE YOU'LL EVER NEED! (DEVIL'S FOOD)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F.
• In a large mixing bowl, sift together dry ingredients. Add oil, coffee and milk and mix at medium speed for 2 minutes. Add eggs and vanilla and beat 2 more minutes. Expect batter to be thin.
• Pour into a 9" x 13" greased and floured pan or 2- 9" round pans. Bake 9 x 13 pan for about 45 minutes or 9" pans for about 30 minutes. Cool in pans for about 15 minutes and then cool completely on racks.
• While cake is cooling make the icing: Combine the milk and flour in a saucepan and cook over low heat until thick, whisking constantly. Cover and refrigerate until chilled.
• In a medium bowl, beat butter, shortening, sugar and vanilla until creamy. Add chilled milk and flour mixture and beat for 10 minutes. Frost cooled cake and enjoy! The frosting sounds intimidating, but it is worth it! By the way, for some reason, we prefer this cake chilled, right out of the refrigerator. The rich chocolate and cool frosting just seem to taste best this way.