chocolate cupcake

24-28 cupcake liners

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 2/3 cups sugar(or use 2 cups as per original)

3/4 cup good cocoa powder(I used Hershey's DARK)

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup buttermilk, shaken

1/2 cup extra light olive oil

2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 cup boiling water

Additional:

Frosting or ganache glaze...sprinkles, etc..

Directions:

1. Line muffin tin with paper liners. Heat oven to 350*F.

2. In a large mixing bowl whisk together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt....use a whisk to do this as it helps to sift the ingredients evenly.

3. In another bowl, mix eggs, buttermilk, oil and vanilla until combined.

4. With a mixer, on low speed, slowly add the wet ingredients(step 3) to the dry ingredients(step 2). until combined.

5. With mixer on low, stir in the boiling water just until combined. Scrape the bottom of the bowl so that everything is combined... but don't over mix. (the batter will be a bit thin, don't worry, this is right).

6. Fill liners 1/2 - 2/3 full with batter. ( It is easier to put the batter into a large measuring cup with a pour spout, and then pour the batter into the liners.)

7. Bake cupcakes for approximately 20-24 minutes....or until toothpick comes out clean. Check at 20 minutes... just to be sure... as it depends on your oven and how much you've filled your cupcake liners. Try not to overbake, as the cupcakes can get to be too dry....and don't under-bake as the cupcakes can fall in the middle.

8. Cool completely on wire rack before frosting....or freeze cupcakes unfrosted and defrost later.

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Milk Chocolate Ganche Recipe

May 30th, 2011 admin

This milk chocolate ganche recipe can be quite rich but if you chill it and whip it up it should become a lot lighter which I personally prefer to when the icing is just chilled and piped or drizzled on. Also this recipe is quite versatile so it can be used to ice/fill cake, cupcakes, it be fill macaroons and well whatever you want it to go on really it is simply delicious. Sorry I don’t have a picture for this post but I forgot to take one but I should be doing another post soon showing this ganache 3 ways. Also ganache cane be done many ways but I think this is the best way.
So here is the recipe for the chocolate ganche-
Recipe to ice 12 cupcake or fill and cover a 8″ cake-

• 9 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
• 1 cup heavy cream

Have a hob witha pan of simmering water and heatproof bowl ready-

1. Place the chocolate into a medium bowl.
2. Heat the cream in the heatproof bowl over simmering water.
3. Bring just to a boil, watching very carefully because if it boils for a few seconds, it will boil out of the pot.
4. When the cream has come to a boil, pour over the chopped chocolate, and whisk until smooth.
5. Allow the ganache to cool slightly before pouring over a cake. Start at the centre of the cake and work outward. Or for a fluffy frosting or chocolate filling, allow it to cool until thick, and then whip with a whisk until light and fluffy. Another option is letting cool for a long time them piping it for a very rich icing.

For a richer darker icing use dark chocolate instead of milk. I like this but I only used milk to use up some of my easter eggs! I got loads of them!