Cupcake Hero #6 [Cocoa Powder]
May 31, 2008 at 10:04 PM | Posted in Cupcake Hero, cupcakes | 34 Comments
Maybe I should name these – In the nick of time cupcakes – since I am posting them at 10:04pm on the day of the Cupcake Hero deadline. Just call me a procrastinator, slacker, lazy… it all works. I won’t deny. LOL.
[Wanted to get my entry up, but will write more tomorrow. Good night]
Alrighty… I am back and well rested @ 647am.
Usually I am very methodical about my Cupcake Hero entries. But this month I walked around in a cocoa haze. Before I knew it, May had almost passed me by… Even though I had ideas, in my procrastination, better cupcake-ers than I, took them away one at a time. I knew if this was my month to win the hero crown I had to stand out! So one by one ideas started getting crossed off. (Apparently my a$$ kissing and bribing isn’t working either!)
Wanna see evidence of my complete cupcake nerd-dom? Brace yourself. I am about to show you… the book.
Every month when Laurie announces the ingredient for Cupcake Hero, I reach for “the book” and start doodling. When she announced that this month’s ingredient would be cocoa I was giddy. Let’s be real here, people. Cocoa powder=chocolate. Imagine the possibilities??? Even though she subtly hinted at brownie…er… cupcake points for using Askinosie Cocoa Powder, I could not locate any near me. It wasn’t without trying though. I emailed them a couple times for a store locator (frankly the shipping on it scared me!) but no reply. sniff. After checking their website again, I noticed it was sold out. Hmmm… maybe thats the reason for the cold shoulder? But there’s no denying its good if its gone. Hopefully someday soon I’ll be able to partake in the recommended cocoa goodness but for now Hershey is still my go-to cocoa powder.
A little more about the book… Its a very specific notebook that I keep on my night stand and carry around with me in my purse b/c you never know when an idea will hit! I finally got wise after getting so many good ideas with no pen and paper in sight during random grocery store visits, pumping my gas, working out at the gym, taking a shower but never remembering mere minutes later. I have the worst memory. Just ask Nikki. I am sure she’ll be more than happy to recount endless conversations that she’s had to repeat b/c I had no recollection. HAHA!
Trust me. Buy a little notebook. You’ll be surprised at the ideas you come up with while standing in the produce aisle staring at the plastic containers of plump, bright red raspberries that are just calling your name… (Should I be worried if fruit is talking to me?)
Chocolate Raspberry Ganache Cupcakes
Click image to enlarge
(Recipe adapted from Cupcake Bakeshop | photos from me!)
INGREDIENTS
Makes about 15 cupcakes
For chocolate cupcakes
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, room temp
1-1/4 cups sugar
2 large eggs, room temp
3/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoons vanilla
For raspberry ganache
3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate
3/4 cup bittersweet chocolate
1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
1/3 cup raspberry preserves
INSTRUCTIONS
To make cupcakes—
Preheat oven to 375F degrees.
Beat butter until softened. Add sugar and beat until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until well combined.
Measure the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder into a small sized bowl and whisk to combine. Measure out the milk and vanilla and stir to combine.
Add about a third of the dry ingredients to the butter/sugar and beat to combine. Add about a half of the milk/vanilla and beat to combine. Continue adding, alternating between dry and wet and finishing with the dry.
Scoop batter into cupcake liners 2/3s full. Turn oven down to 350 degrees and bake cupcakes for about 22-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
To make ganache—
Place chocolate and raspberry preserves in bowl.
In saucepan bring whipping cream to boil over high heat. Pour hot whipping cream over chocolate and stir until chocolate melted. Spread ganache over cupcake.
Garnish with raspberry and powder sugar.
ENJOY! :)
Husband rating: A+
He saw the raspberry preserves and wasn’t sure what to expect but after the first bite, he was a fan and reached for 2nds!
Wifey rating: A+
I love the chocolate and raspberry flavor combination and even though the cupcake looks simple, its very decadent. 2 words: Simply delicious…
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i can taste it in my mouth already!
haha! looks yummilicious.
i’m like salivating on my keyboard.
Comment by khoo — June 1, 2008 #
KHOO, haha. thanks! I like that they are simple but SO good.
Comment by CB — June 1, 2008 #
I think you are spot on. (as evidenced by my first entry) that go with the simple and highlight the cocoa powder. And yeah these cupcakes wouldn’t make it long at Casa Shazam.
Comment by Mary — June 1, 2008 #
MARY, I agree that this month I was going for simple, decadent flavors (its definitely not b/c I had no freaking idea what to do!) to hopefully highlight the cocoa ingredient. Get out of my mind! HAHA! I am still in awe of your lavender blueberry. Fierce job chica!
Comment by CB — June 1, 2008 #
oooh those are amazing!! chocolate and raspberry…i can’t think of a better combination. in fact it’s like you’re living in my head! you’ll see WHY in a few days hehee.
procrastination looks good on you! YAY for may 31.
Comment by Mara — June 1, 2008 #
oh by the way, fruit talks to me ALL the time. as well as liquers like kahlua. oh wait, maybe the fruit is talking because of the kahlua? hmm.
Comment by Mara — June 1, 2008 #
OMG they look Wonderful!
What I want to know is where the heck do you get those cupcake liners?
Comment by Ashbabe — June 1, 2008 #
I love simple decadence. Cupcakes like these are the best kind of calories. The cake part looks so moist and wonderful. We’d like 2 at our house please!
Comment by Janna from Honeyed Hashette — June 1, 2008 #
MARA, GMTA? Looks like I am in great company. I am in awe of your recent cupcakes. Uh… yeah… liquer might have something to do with that! HAHA! ;)
ASHBABE, thanky! They are called party nut cups or souffle cups depending on where you buy them. I buy my 3-1/4oz souffle cups at Smart&Final, 250/$5. HTH!
JANNA, thanks babe! I was thinking of doing something more complicated but finally settled on “simple decadence” b/c (to be honest) thats what I was craving!
Comment by CB — June 1, 2008 #
Love your blog! The cupcakes look divine! Beautiful too, and I will have to give these a try!!!
Comment by Steph — June 1, 2008 #
STEPH, thanks for your sweet compliments! If you bake it, come back with a review, k? :)
Comment by CB — June 1, 2008 #
yum–i love ganache!!
Comment by steph (whisk/spoon) — June 1, 2008 #
STEPH, hurray! So glad to get feedback from a former 2x hero ;)
Comment by CB — June 1, 2008 #
Oh my!! these look delicious!
Comment by April — June 2, 2008 #
APRIL, thanks girl! I love your chocolate and orange combo too!
Comment by CB — June 2, 2008 #
I have a sketchbook for all my baking ideas:) and I found myself talking to dragon fruit the other day, scaring a little old lady by whispering “…and what on earth do you do” :)
Comment by Charley — June 2, 2008 #
CHARLEY, whew! Glad I am not the only baking nerd! Thats hilarious about the dragonfruit and the old lady. I don’t think anyone wanted to come close to me in the grocery store that day… ::cuckoo::
Comment by CB — June 2, 2008 #
Raspberries are my favorite fruit to combine with chocolate. Great cupcake!
Comment by Hillary — June 2, 2008 #
HILLARY, me too! I love strawberries and raspberries with chocolate. Simple but very decadent! :)
Comment by CB — June 2, 2008 #
Yay~ so glad you managed to squeak in by the hair on your… well you know. And being the nerd that I am, I find your book divine! I only have scraps of paper when inspiration hits so you are much more organized than I. Sorry to hear about your Askinosie travails. This might be very good info for them, hmmm?
Comment by Tempered Woman — June 2, 2008 #
TW, hair on my… chinny chin-chin? HAHA! I had a feeling you would appreciate my nerd-dom. ;)
Comment by CB — June 2, 2008 #
How did I ever know about the doodle book? You know that I’m going to endlessly make fun of you for it right?
Comment by nikki — June 2, 2008 #
Oh ya and you serio have the worst memory of anyone I’ve ever met
Comment by nikki — June 2, 2008 #
NIKKI, shut it. nft
Comment by CB — June 2, 2008 #
oh wait … that’s why I never knew. You knew I’d tease you :P you love my teasing though. It makes you love me more
Comment by nikki — June 2, 2008 #
How did you know? Chocolate & Raspberries is like my favorite combo ever!
Comment by GreenEyedLillies — June 5, 2008 #
GREENEYED, GMTA! Its one of my favorites too! :)
Comment by CB — June 5, 2008 #
P.S. I love “the book”!
Comment by GreenEyedLillies — June 5, 2008 #
Raspberry and chocolate is one of the best combinations and I love that you used ganache as opposed to frosting.
And your notebook is too cute! I end up keeping all my ideas in my head. Thank God I have a good memory.
And oh yeah, the Askinosie cocoa powder was all sold out when I went to the site, too. I used good ol’ Nestles!
Comment by Tanya — June 6, 2008 #
TANYA, Don’t get me wrong… I love frosting but sometime ganache is just better. Mmmm…. You keep your ideas in your head? I am impressed! My memory is just crap so I would be lost without my little book. I think it probably didn’t help either that I procrastinated so long on ordering the Askinosie cocoa. Ooops! You snooze you use Hersheys (or Nestles)! HAHA!
Comment by CB — June 7, 2008 #
okay… this is so sinful. i want this now. right now! :P
Comment by lifestylescribe — June 27, 2008 #
LIFESYTLE, can I just tell you…? they were WAY sinful! You must bake them soon! If you try them, let me know what you think, k? :)
Comment by CB — July 1, 2008 #
wow raspberries and chocolate…. To Die For! i was wondering where did you get your cupcake cups, they remind me of ketcup holders from fast food places x] Anyways i was wondering becasue i couldnt seem to find them anywhere. Thanks!
Comment by Shers — September 14, 2008 #
SHERS, They do remind me of ketchup cups! haha. They are called party nut cups or souffle cups depending on where you buy them. I buy the 3-1/4oz at Smart&Final, 250/$5.
Comment by CB — September 14, 2008 #