Cinnamon Scented Devils Food Cupcakes With Chocolate Orange Ganache Icing

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 DEVIL'S FOOD CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Whisk together boiling water and cocoa. Cover and set aside. With a mixer, cream together the butter, sugar, salt and vanilla extract. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, and continue creaming until light and fluffy. Sift together the flour, baking soda and baking powder and add this mixture, alternately with the buttermilk. Add cocoa and water mixture and mix until thoroughly combined. Scoop into cupcake pans and bake for 20 to 25 minutes.
• Let cool completely before decorating. Dip tops of cooled cupcakes in the warm ganache and let set. Pipe more ganache on top for decoration. To fill, put buttercream in a pastry bag with a small round tip. Stick tip into the center of each cupcake and pipe in filling. Be careful not to pipe too much or you will break the cupcake. Serve.
• Chop chocolate and place in a stainless steel or glass bowl. Bring cream and sugar just to a boil in a small saucepan and then pour over chocolate. Whisk together and then stir in butter until melted.
• Whisk together the egg whites and sugar in a stainless steel bowl. Place bowl in a water bath set over low heat. Whisk occasionally until sugar is dissolved and mixture is very warm, about 150 degrees F. Remove from water bath and whip with a hand-held mixer on high speed until stiff peaks. Lower speed and add the butter in small pieces. Add vanilla and violet essence and mix until smooth. Add violet color, 1 drop at a time, until desired shade is reached. Use to fill cupcakes as directed above.

CHOCOLATE GANACHE CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Line muffin pans with 12 paper liners. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• Cream the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, 1 at a time. Mix in the chocolate syrup and vanilla. Add the flour and mix until just combined. Don't overbeat, or the cupcakes will be tough.
• Scoop the batter into the muffin cups and bake for 30 minutes, or until just set in the middle. Don't overbake! Let the cupcakes cool thoroughly in the pan.
• For the ganache, cook the heavy cream, chocolate chips, and instant coffee in the top of a double boiler over simmering water until smooth and warm, stirring occasionally.
• Dip the top of each cupcake in the ganache. Decorate with candied violets, if desired. Do not refrigerate.

DEVIL'S FOOD CUPCAKES W/CHOCOLATE GANACHE FROSTING & CENTERS

Steps:

• GANACHE:.
• In a sauce pan bring your cream to a light boil.
• Then pour in the chocolate and start stirring immediately.
• Keep going until you have a smooth mixture.
• At first this will seem like it's not working as the chocolate hasn't begun to mix with the cream.
• Then, in second, it will start to form. Just give it time.
• Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
• Don't be tempted to taste throughout the cooling process as you're not supposed to touch the ganache until it sets.
• Put ganache in fridge until you're ready to use.
• If you're making these in a hurry, start making the batter.
• If not, make the batter when you're ready to start baking your cupcakes.
• CUPCAKES:.
• Pre-heat oven to 375ºF.
• Line cupcake tray with cupcake papers
• Whisk together water and cocoa.
• Set aside and let completely cool. (you can put this in the fridge too).
• When cocoa mixture is cool, whisk in the mayonnaise and vanilla until smooth.
• Meanwhile, combine dry ingredients in the bowl of an electric mixer and mix on low until combined.
• Once mixed, increase speed to medium and beat in cocoa mixture for one minute.
• The batter is supposed to be thin, but I've seen it thin/medium.
• Poor batter into a measuring cup with a spout and fill each cupcake 1/4 the way full.
• Now take out your ganache and with a spoon make a small ganache ball and set one ball in the center of each cupcake.
• Continue to fill each cupcake until it's 3/4 the way full to prevent spilling batter.
• Check to make sure your oven is at 375º and bake for 15-20 minutes until cupcakes are set.
• Poke with a toothpick to confirm they are done.
• The toothpick should slide out smoothly without any cake on it.
• Once completely cooled (make sure you cool the cupcakes or your ganache will melt), frost with the rest of your ganache frosting.
• You should have extra ganache left over - about a cup.

CINNAMON SCENTED DEVIL'S FOOD CUPCAKES WITH CHOCOLATE-ORANGE GANACHE ICING

Steps:

• Cupcakes: Preheat oven to 325* Sift flour, cocoa, cinnamon, baking powder, salt, and baking soda into a large bowl. Combine sugar, coffee, buttermilk, oil, eggs, egg yolks, and vanilla in another large bowl. Using electic mixer, beat egg mixture until blended. Add dry ingredients. Beat on medium speed until blended, scraping bowl occasionally, about 4 min. Stir in chocolate chips. Spoon into papers and bake i sheet at a time until puffed and center is ust firm to touch. Cool completely. Icing: Bring cream to a boil, remove from heat--add chocolate chips, butter, zest and orange flavoring. Let stand 3 min then wisk until chocolate melts. Chill until cool (40 min) Then beat until light & fluffy.

CINNAMON-SCENTED DEVIL'S FOOD CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F. Lightly spray insides of 30 paper molds with nonstick spray; arrange paper molds on 2 large rimmed baking sheets. Sift flour, cocoa, cinnamon, baking powder, salt, and baking soda into large bowl. Combine sugar, coffee, buttermilk, oil, eggs, egg yolks, and vanilla in another large bowl. Using electric mixer, beat egg mixture until blended. Add dry ingredients. Beat on medium speed until blended, scraping bowl occasionally, about 4 minutes. Stir in chocolate chips.
• Spoon 1/4 cup batter into each paper mold. Bake cupcakes, 1 sheet at a time, until puffed and center is just firm to touch, about 24 minutes. Transfer cupcakes to racks and cool completely.
• Frost cupcakes with almond frosting. (Can be made ahead. Arrange cupcakes in deep disposable roasting pans. Cover pans with foil. Refrigerate up to 2 days, or store at room temperature 1 day. Bring chilled cupcakes to room temperature before serving.)
• Decorate cupcakes with mini roses up to 4 hours before serving.

DEVIL'S FOOD CAKE WITH CHOCOLATE GANACHE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter two 9-by-2-inch round cake pans; line bottoms with parchment paper. Butter parchment; dust with cocoa powder, tapping out excess. In a medium bowl, whisk cocoa with hot water until smooth. Whisk in sour cream; let cool. Into a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating to combine after each; scrape down sides of bowl as needed. Beat in vanilla. With mixer on low speed, add flour mixture in two parts, alternating with cocoa mixture and beginning and ending with flour; beat until combined.
• Divide batter between prepared pans; smooth with an offset spatula. Bake until a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes. Transfer pans to a wire rack to cool 15 minutes. Invert cakes onto rack; peel off parchment. Turn cakes over; let cool completely, topside up. Transfer half of Chocolate Ganache (3 1/2 cups) to clean bowl of an electric mixer; set aside remaining. Let cool completely, stirring frequently, about 40 minutes. Attach bowl to mixer fitted with whisk attachment. Beat on medium-high speed until ganache holds soft peaks, 5 to 7 minutes.
• Using a serrated knife, trim tops of cake layers to make level. Transfer one of the layers to a cake turntable or platter, and spread top with 1 1/2 cups whipped ganache. Top with remaining layer, cut side down, and spread remaining whipped ganache in a thin layer over entire cake, covering completely. Refrigerate until set, about 30 minutes.
• Transfer cake to a wire rack set over a rimmed baking sheet. Pour reserved ganache over top, letting it run down the sides. If necessary, use a large offset spatula to spread from the center toward the edges, so that the cake is evenly and completely covered. Refrigerate until ganache has just begun to set, about 30 minutes. Transfer cake to a serving plate. Serve immediately, or refrigerate, covered with a cake dome, for up to 2 days.

FUDGY DEVIL'S FOOD CAKE WITH CHOCOLATE GANACHE FROSTING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter two 9-by-2-inch round cake pans; line bottoms with parchment paper rounds. Butter parchment; dust with cocoa powder, tapping out excess.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together cocoa and hot water until smooth. Whisk in sour cream; let cool, then whisk in chocolate. Into a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, and salt.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating to combine after each addition; scrape down sides of bowl as needed. 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.
• Divide batter between prepared pans (or muffin tins lined with paper liners); smooth with an offset spatula. Bake until a cake tester inserted in center comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes (18 to 20 minutes for cupcakes).
• Transfer pans to a wire rack to cool 15 minutes. Invert cakes onto rack; peel off parchment. Re-invert cakes; let cool completely, top sides up.
• Using a serrated knife, trim tops of cake layers to level. Transfer a cake layer to a cake turntable or platter to frost. Using an offset spatula, spread 3/4 cup frosting on top. Set remaining cake layer into place.
• Spread remaining frosting over entire cake, swirling to coat. Serve immediately, or cover with a cake dome and refrigerate; let sit at room temperature for 20 minutes before serving.