This year and last year my husband's summer office party included a mini cupcake wars. Last year, I made the Fancy Pants Cupcakes, which were amazing! This year I decided I would try my hand at hi hat or chocolate dipped cupcakes. I am proud to say that these cupcakes won first prize! They were gone before my husband and I got to the cupcake table. Try them out and let me know what you think in the comments.
This recipe is a combination of a recipe I found at Pineapple and Coconut and another at America's Test Kitchen. For more great recipes check out my From the Kitchen page.
Ganache Ingredients:
1/4 cup Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips
1/4 cup Heavy Cream
1/4 cup Strawberry Jam
1/3 cup strawberries, finely chopped
Cupcake Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups Flour
1 cup Sugar
1 teaspoon Salt
1 teaspoon Baking Soda
3/4 cup Cocoa Powder
1 1/2 cup boiling water
3/4 cup Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips
3/4 cup Vegetable Oil
4 large Eggs
1 tablespoon White Vinegar
2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
Frosting Ingredients:
3 large Egg Whites
1 1/2 cups Sugar
1/4 teaspoon Cream of Tartar
1/4 teaspoon Salt
Chocolate Dip Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips
3 tbsp Vegetable oil
Directions:
Start with the ganache. Place the 1/4 cup chocolate chips in a heat proof bowl. Heat the cream in a small saucepan over medium heat until bubbles just start to form around the edges, then pour the cream over the chocolate and let set for about 1 minute. Using a whisk and starting in the middle begin slowly stirring toward the edges while incorporating the chocolate into the cream. Once the mixture is smooth, gingerly stir in the strawberry jam and chopped strawberries, taking care not to over mix.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line two muffin tins with cupcake liners.
In a medium bowl, combine the flour, sugar, salt, and baking soda then set aside.
Place the cocoa powder in a medium bowl and whisk in the boiling water. Stir in the chocolate chips. Continue stirring until mixture is smooth, then set aside and allow to cool to room temperature.
In a large bowl, whisk together the oil, eggs, vinegar and vanilla. Once combined, whisk in the chocolate mixture, then stir in the flour mixture. Fill each cupcake liner about 2/3 full. Bake for 8 minutes, then, without pulling the cupcakes from the oven, drizzle a heaping teaspoon of the ganache on top of each liquidy cupcake. Bake for 10 minutes more or until the cupcakes no longer jiggle. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in pans for 5 minutes before removing the cupcakes from the muffin tins and allowing to cool to room temperature on wire racks.
When the cupcakes have just about reached room temperature, make the frosting. Using a saucepan large enough to place a medium mixing bowl in that won’t touch the bottom, bring about ½ to 1 cup of water to a simmer. Combine the egg whites, sugar, cream of tarter and salt in a medium heatproof mixing bowl. Place the bowl over the simmering water and whisk until the mixture reaches 160 degrees Fahrenheit on a candy thermometer. Remove the bowl from the pan and, using a stand mixer or hand mixer, beat the egg white mixture until stiff peaks form, about 5 – 10 minutes. Using a pastry bag fitted with a large round or star tip, pipe swirls onto each cupcake, then place the cupcakes in the freezer for about 10 minutes while you make the chocolate dip.
Combine the chocolate chips and oil in a small heat proof bowl and melt according to the directions on the chocolate chip package. Scrape the chocolate into a deep bowl or cup (I used a glass measuring cup). Pull the cupcakes from the freezer and dip each one into the chocolate.
If you want to go the extra mile, adorn the cupcakes with strawberries and white chocolate swirls. Catch My Party has a great tutorial as well as a free download.
For more great recipes check out my From the Kitchen Page.
Ganache Ingredients:
1/4 cup Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips
1/4 cup Heavy Cream
1/4 cup Strawberry Jam
1/3 cup strawberries, finely chopped
Cupcake Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups Flour
1 cup Sugar
1 teaspoon Salt
1 teaspoon Baking Soda
3/4 cup Cocoa Powder
1 1/2 cup boiling water
3/4 cup Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips
3/4 cup Vegetable Oil
4 large Eggs
1 tablespoon White Vinegar
2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
Frosting Ingredients:
3 large Egg Whites
1 1/2 cups Sugar
1/4 teaspoon Cream of Tartar
1/4 teaspoon Salt
Chocolate Dip Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips
3 tbsp Vegetable oil
Directions:
Start with the ganache. Place the 1/4 cup chocolate chips in a heat proof bowl. Heat the cream in a small saucepan over medium heat until bubbles just start to form around the edges, then pour the cream over the chocolate and let set for about 1 minute. Using a whisk and starting in the middle begin slowly stirring toward the edges while incorporating the chocolate into the cream. Once the mixture is smooth, gingerly stir in the strawberry jam and chopped strawberries, taking care not to over mix.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line two muffin tins with cupcake liners.
In a medium bowl, combine the flour, sugar, salt, and baking soda then set aside.
Place the cocoa powder in a medium bowl and whisk in the boiling water. Stir in the chocolate chips. Continue stirring until mixture is smooth, then set aside and allow to cool to room temperature.
In a large bowl, whisk together the oil, eggs, vinegar and vanilla. Once combined, whisk in the chocolate mixture, then stir in the flour mixture. Fill each cupcake liner about 2/3 full. Bake for 8 minutes, then, without pulling the cupcakes from the oven, drizzle a heaping teaspoon of the ganache on top of each liquidy cupcake. Bake for 10 minutes more or until the cupcakes no longer jiggle. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in pans for 5 minutes before removing the cupcakes from the muffin tins and allowing to cool to room temperature on wire racks.
When the cupcakes have just about reached room temperature, make the frosting. Using a saucepan large enough to place a medium mixing bowl in that won’t touch the bottom, bring about ½ to 1 cup of water to a simmer. Combine the egg whites, sugar, cream of tarter and salt in a medium heatproof mixing bowl. Place the bowl over the simmering water and whisk until the mixture reaches 160 degrees Fahrenheit on a candy thermometer. Remove the bowl from the pan and, using a stand mixer or hand mixer, beat the egg white mixture until stiff peaks form, about 5 – 10 minutes. Using a pastry bag fitted with a large round or star tip, pipe swirls onto each cupcake, then place the cupcakes in the freezer for about 10 minutes while you make the chocolate dip.
Combine the chocolate chips and oil in a small heat proof bowl and melt according to the directions on the chocolate chip package. Scrape the chocolate into a deep bowl or cup (I used a glass measuring cup). Pull the cupcakes from the freezer and dip each one into the chocolate.
If you want to go the extra mile, adorn the cupcakes with strawberries and white chocolate swirls. Catch My Party has a great tutorial as well as a free download.
For more great recipes check out my From the Kitchen Page.
I made this cake with the left over/broken white chocolate swirls using the same recipe.
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