Graces Devilish Chocolate Cupcakes Food

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.

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 the oven to 375 degrees. Place the baking cups in the muffin pans.
• Place the chocolate in a small heavy saucepan, and melt over low heat, stirring constantly. Remove the pans from the heat and set aside.
• Cream the butter and brown sugar together in the bowl of an electric mixer. With the mixer on low speed, add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the melted chocolate.
• Combine the flour, baking soda and salt. Alternating between the two, add the flour mixture and buttermilk to the chocolate mixture in three stages, ending with the flour. Then slowly stir in 1 cup of boiling water and the vanilla.
• Pour the batter 3/4 full into the baking cups. Place in the oven and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean, about 15 minutes.
• Remove the pans from the oven, and let the cupcakes cool for 5 minutes, and then remove them from the muffin pans. Let the cupcakes cool completely.
• Place all the ingredients into a small, heavy saucepan over moderate heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate is almost melted.
• Remove from heat. Continue to stir until the chocolate is completely melted. Transfer to a shallow bowl. Let stand, stirring occasionally, until icing reaches room temperature.
• Hold cupcakes upside down and dip the tops into the icing. Twirl slightly and then hold upside down for a few seconds for excess to drip off. After dipping them all, dip each one a second time.