Devils Food Cupcakes With Mint Buttercream

MINT DEVIL'S FOOD CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly spray 12 muffin cups.
• Heat butter and chocolate together in a small saucepan over low heat until melted, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat; set aside to cool slightly, about 5 minutes.
• Combine 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour, baking soda, and salt together in a small bowl.
• Mix milk, vinegar, and peppermint extract together in another small bowl.
• Beat sugar and eggs together in large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until pale, about 3 minutes. Add melted chocolate and beat well to combine. Pour in 1/2 cup boiling water and beat until batter is well-blended. Add flour mixture; beat on low speed until incorporated. Add milk mixture and blend well. Fill muffin cups 3/4-full with batter.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into a cupcake comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer cupcakes to wire rack and cool to room temperature, about 45 minutes.
• Combine 2 tablespoons cold water and gelatin in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir constantly until gelatin dissolves, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool slightly, but not until set, about 5 minutes.
• Combine 1 cup plus 3 tablespoons heavy cream, 1/4 cup plus 2 teaspoons confectioners' sugar, vanilla extract, and green food coloring in a large bowl. Whip with an electric mixer on low speed until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Beat in dissolved gelatin slowly. Increase speed to high and beat until frosting is stiff, about 3 minutes.
• Spread frosting over cooled cupcakes. Remove and discard cream filling from chocolate sandwich cookies; crush cookies. Scatter cookie crumbs over cupcakes.

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.

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.