Devils Food Cupcakes With Marshmallow Filling

MARSHMALLOW STUFFED CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350° and line two 12-cup cupcake pans with cupcake liners.
• Prepare Devil's Food cake mix according to package instructions. Fill each cupcake liner about two-thirds full with batter and bake until a toothpick inserted into each cupcake comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes.
• Using a teaspoon, scoop a small well out of each cupcake. Reserve cupcake crumbs for garnish. Place a marshmallow into each well and bake until the marshmallow puffs, about 5 minutes. Let cool to room temperature.
• Make chocolate frosting: In a large bowl using a hand mixer, beat butter, powdered sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla, and salt. Beat in heavy cream (adding more by the tablespoon until consistency is creamy but can hold peaks).
• Pipe frosting onto cupcakes. Sprinkle cupcake crumbs on top and serve.

CREAM-FILLED DEVIL'S FOOD CUPCAKES

Steps:

• For the cupcakes: Position an oven rack in the center of the oven, and preheat to 350 degrees F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners, and lightly coat with cooking spray.
• Whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt and baking powder in a medium bowl; set aside.
• Bring the cocoa powder, milk and 1/2 cup water to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium heat, and whisk until the cocoa dissolves into a smooth, thicker mixture, about 3 minutes. Stir in the vanilla, and set aside until just slightly warm to the touch.
• Beat the butter and sugar on medium-high speed with an electric mixer until combined and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs and egg yolks one at a time, beating to incorporate after each addition. Continue to beat while slowly pouring the cocoa mixture into the bowl (be sure to scrape out any cocoa that coats the saucepan) just until incorporated, scraping down the side of the bowl as needed. Reduce the speed to medium, add the flour mixture and beat until just incorporated. Finish stirring by hand to avoid overmixing.
• Divide the batter evenly among the lined muffin cups, and bake until the cupcakes bounce back when gently pressed and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes. Let them cool in the pan for a few minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely. Unwrap each cupcake, and use a small knife to cut out a small "plug" of cake in the middle of each bottom, cutting about halfway through the cupcake.
• For the filling: Beat the marshmallow, confectioners' sugar and butter with an electric mixer in a medium bowl until smooth. Transfer the mixture to a large resealable plastic bag, and snip off one corner. Pipe the filling into the holes cut out of the cupcakes; use the plugs or scraps of the cake you removed to plug the holes back up.
• For the glaze: Combine the butter, chocolate, honey and salt in a small microwave-safe bowl, cover with plastic wrap and poke a hole in it to vent. Microwave on high (at 100 percent power) for about 1 minute, until the butter and most of the chocolate is melted. Whisk until smooth; let cool, 15 to 20 minutes. Dip the top of each cupcake in the glaze, and let it set up, about 30 minutes.
• For the icing: Put the filled and glazed cupcakes on a rack set over a baking sheet or piece of parchment. Whisk the confectioners' sugar, butter and 2 tablespoons water together in a small bowl. Top each cupcake with a drizzle of icing; let harden, about 10 minutes. Put the finished cupcakes in fresh liners. The cupcakes can be baked, filled, glazed and iced a day ahead and stored in an airtight container at room temperature.

DEVIL'S FOOD CUPCAKES

Steps:

• For the cupcakes: Position an oven rack in the center of the oven, and preheat to 350 degrees F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners, and lightly coat with cooking spray.
• Whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl; set aside.
• Bring the cocoa powder, milk and 1/2 cup water to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium heat, and whisk until the cocoa dissolves into a smooth, thicker mixture, about 3 minutes. Stir in the vanilla, and set aside until just slightly warm to the touch.
• Beat the butter and sugar on medium-high speed in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or in a large bowl if using a handheld mixer) until combined and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs and egg yolks one at a time, beating to incorporate after each addition. Continue to beat while slowly pouring the cocoa mixture into the bowl (be sure to scrape out any cocoa that coats the saucepan) just until incorporated, scraping down the side of the bowl as needed. Reduce the speed to medium, add the flour mixture and beat until just incorporated. Remove the bowl from the stand, and finish stirring by hand to avoid overmixing.
• Divide the batter evenly among the lined muffin cups, and bake until the cupcakes bounce back when gently pressed and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes. Let cool in the pan for a few minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.
• For the glaze: Combine the butter, chocolate, honey and salt in a small microwave-safe bowl, cover with plastic wrap and poke a hole in it to vent. Microwave on high (at 100 percent power) for about 1 minute, until the butter and most of the chocolate is melted. Whisk until smooth, and let cool, 15 to 20 minutes. Dip the top of each cupcake in the glaze, and let it set up, about 30 minutes.
• Decorate the cupcakes: Pinch each fruit chew into a curved horn shape with pointed ends. Cut the licorice laces into twelve 5-inch pieces, and snip 1 end of each to make a Y-shaped tail. Press two horns into the top of each cupcake, and press a tail into the back of each cupcake.

CREAM FILLED DEVIL'S FOOD CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Set rack in the middle of oven and preheat to 325 degrees F. Line a 12 slot muffin pan with large paper or foil cupcake liners.
• Sift the flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt together 3 times. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar together at high speed for 15 seconds until combined. Add the eggs 1 at a time beating until each is incorporated. Continue beating until light and fluffy, about 6 minutes longer. With the mixer at its lowest speed, beat in 1/3 the flour mixture. Beat in the buttermilk and vanilla, then another third of the flour. Beat in the coffee and then the remaining flour. Fill the sections of the muffin tin 1/2 full and bake for 15 minutes or until the centers spring back when lightly pressed. Set pan on a rack to cool.
• Peanut Butter Buttercream Filling: Beat the butter and peanut butter at medium speed in a mixing bowl until blended. Reduce speed to low and gradually beat in the confectioners' sugar. Increase speed to high and beat for 3 to 5 minutes until smooth and fluffy. Fill a pastry bag fitted with a medium, plain tip with filling. Insert tip into each cooled cupcake and squeeze approximately 3 tablespoons of filling into each cupcake.
• Ganache Frosting: Place chocolate in a medium bowl. Bring the cream to a scald in a small saucepan. Pour cream over chocolate and let sit 1 minute, then whisk until smooth. Let sit for 10 minutes until thick, but still pourable. Dunk the top half of the cupcakes into the frosting to coat, then place on a rack and sprinkle with the chopped peanuts. Transfer to the refrigerator for 20 minutes to set.

DEVIL'S-FOOD CAKE WITH TOASTED-MARSHMALLOW FROSTING

Steps:

• Place oven rack in the middle position, and heat the oven to 350 degrees. Line 3 8-by-3-inch anodized-aluminum cake pans with parchment paper, and grease them.
• Combine butter and coffee in a 5-quart saucepan, and set over low heat to melt. Remove from heat, and whisk in the cocoa, chocolate, brown sugar, vanilla and salt, until there are no lumps of cocoa or unmelted chocolate. After mixing, add the eggs and yolks, and whisk well to combine. Sift flour and baking soda right into the pan, then whisk thoroughly to combine, making sure there are no pockets of flour. Divide batter among the three cake pans (about 23-24 ounces each).
• Bake for 30 minutes, or until the cakes are firm, but a light touch with a finger still leaves an impression, and a few crumbs cling to a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake.
• Set aside on a wire rack until the pans, and the cakes, are completely cool to the touch, about 90 minutes.
• Fill a 3-quart pot with 1 1/2 inches of water, and place over medium-low heat. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the egg whites, sugar, salt, cream of tartar and vanilla. Place the bowl over the steaming water bath, and use a spatula to stir and scrape down the bowl, keeping the mass moving over the steam for about 10 minutes, or until a digital thermometer inserted into the mixture reads 175 degrees.
• Place the bowl in the stand mixer with the whisk attachment, and whip on high speed until it quadruples in volume and turns thick and glossy, about 5 minutes.
• Loosen the sides of the cakes with a knife and invert them onto a wire rack. Peel away the parchment paper, then flip cakes right-side up again. Use a long serrated knife to evenly trim the puffy tops off the cakes (set these aside for snacking).
• Place one cake, cut-side up, onto a serving plate. Top with a cup of frosting, and spread it into an even layer with a small palette knife or the back of a spoon. Repeat with the second and third layers, placing these cut-side down. Finish the sides of the cake with remaining frosting, then lightly torch with a blowtorch, so the frosting turns golden brown.

RED DEVIL'S FOOD CUPCAKES WITH MOCHA COCOA FROSTING

Steps:

• For cake, preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Spritz cupcake pans with nonstick baking spray or line with cupcake papers.
• Place cocoa in a small bowl.
• Add water, slowly stirring, until well blended and smooth.
• Set aside until lukewarm.
• In a small bowl, mix flour, baking soda and salt.
• In medium bowl, cream butter and sugar with an electric mixer until fluffy.
• Beat in eggs, one at a time.
• Add the cooled chocolate mixture all at once, add vanilla and stir well.
• Add the flour mixture all at once and stir with a wooden spoon until smooth and patches of white disappear.
• Do not overmix.
• Using a measuring cup, dip out the batter and place in the cupcake pans; the cupcake pans should be about 3/4 full.
• Bake for 15 minutes or until a cake tester or toothpick comes clean when poked into the cakes.
• When cooled, frost with mocha frosting (recipe below).
• Makes about 18 2 1/2 inch cupcakes.
• For frosting, remove lumps from both sugar and cocoa by placing the measured ingredients into a sieve set over a bowl; push and rub with the back of a spoon or rubber spatula.
• Using an electric mixer, cream the butter until smooth.
• Add the vanilla and salt.
• Add the sugar all at once and mix until almost blended.
• Beat in as much of the coffee as needed to make a smooth, spreadable frosting.
• Makes 1 3/4 cups or enough to frost 18 cupcakes generously.
• Tip: If the cupcakes are going into a lunchbox or picnic basket, cut them in half, sandwich the frosting in the middle and wrap in wax paper or plastic wrap.

DEVIL'S FOOD CUPCAKES WITH MARSHMALLOW FROSTING

Steps:

• Cake.
• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• In electric mixer set on medium cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
• Add eggs one at a time until completely mixed.
• In a small mixing bowl combine hot water and cocoa powder, mix until smooth.
• Lower speed on mixer and slowly add cocoa mixture.
• In a large mixing bowl sift flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda; add to mixer alternately with sour cream.
• Mix coffee gradules with vanilla extract until dissolved then add to batter. Making sure to scarpe down sides of bowl until completely combined.
• Place liner in muffin tin. I spray liners with non-stick to make them come out easier.
• Fill liner 1/3 full or slightly more for rounder tops.
• Place on middle rack for 12 to 15 minutes. Done when toothpick comes out clean.
• Remove and allow to completely cool then frost.
• Frosting.
• Beat butter on high in electric mixer until creamy.
• Add marshmallow creme, mix completely.
• Slowly add confectioner's sugar a little at a time, followed by vanilla, corn syrup and salt. Beat until smooth.