My Chocolate Fix...with a glass of milk

CHOCOLATE DEVIL'S FOOD CUPCAKES
Recipe courtesy of Martin Howard

NY Pastry Chef & Graduate of CIA

I opted on not making the violet buttercream.

This changed the level of this recipe from difficult to EASY! You can't go wrong with that!

I use the jumbo size cupcake liner. So, the yield will be approximately 16-18 cupcakes.

This cupcake was moist, tender, delicious and a great compliment with a glass of milk.

Chocolate Devil's Food Cupcakes
• Cook Time 40 min
• Level Difficult
• Yield 36 medium-sized cupcakes

Times:
Prep 45 min
Inactive Prep--
Cook 40 min
Total: 1 hr 25 min

Ingredients
• 3/4 cup boiling water
• 3/4 cup cocoa powder
• 6 ounces butter
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon fine salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 eggs
• 2 1/2 cups cake flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 cup buttermilk
• Ganache, recipe follows
• Violet Buttercream, recipe follows

Directions
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.

Ganache:
8 ounces chocolate
3/4 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons butter
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.

Violet Buttercream:
4 ounces egg whites
6 ounces sugar
8 ounces butter, cut into small pieces, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon violet essence
Violet food coloring

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.

Enjoy!

Carmen