Homemade Hostess Cupcakes

(Modified from Food Network magazine)

Difficulty: Time-consuming but easy
Ingredient Cost: $35 (though I started with a good stable of basics)

I’ve lived in New York for a little over six years. For five of those years--encompassing the latter half of my 20s--I’ve been good friends with a very good man who is now moving away, which is not so good. I mean, it’s fantastic for him--he and his lady were just married two years ago and they’re busting at the seams to get going. And it’s not like Connecticut is California. But still. When I jog past their apartment I won’t crane my neck to see if they’re home. I’ll have to sit in my own garden when I want mosquito bites. And no one will be around to tell me “thank god I don’t live with you, I would be such a porker if I had to eat this well all the time.”

Unsweetened chocolate tastes like ass. Never forget this terrible fact.

 
 








  


 I like to eat, and so it’s a nice coincidence that I also love to cook. Most of the time it’s smaller experiments for the boyfriend and myself, but I will take any excuse to cook for company. I especially want to take advantage of this apparent craving for praise before I’m saddled blessed with children who I’m forced happy to cook for every day after every day after every day.
 

 






So, in addition to the Sour Cream Whole Wheat Pancakes (which I make all the time and pick up nearly word-for-word from this excellent recipe) that I put together for my aforementioned friend’s going-away-slash-birthday brunch, I also decided that this kind of bittersweet nostalgia would be served well by some bittersweet chocolate...in the form of Homemade Hostess Cupcakes.

I made these for his smallish birthday party, but even so, every single extra was polished off well before the 24-hour mark. These cakes are moist, rich but not too sweet. The filling light and creamy. And the ganache? Give me a break. Your friends will love you. (Plus, you can write their names in frosting!) 

(Speaking of, this recipe leaves quite a bit of frosting left over...

   

Good thing I left that 2-year old bottle of tonic in there for picture time...

...Making smiley faces on pancakes or dipping pretzels or spreading on apple slices are all appropriate uses for this windfall.)

 

  

Extra bowls are for chumps.

  

 You will use every bowl you own, but don't let this deter you. 

Awwwww:

Look how glossy!

Oh also, us poor kids can’t necessarily afford mixers and food processors and whatnot, and so everything you read here was done by hand, with the help of red wine. 

This post was sponsored by Rioja Vega*.
 

*It wasn't.

  








Homemade Hostess Cupcakes


Cupcakes
1 & 1/4 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp coarse salt
1 & 1/4 cups granulated sugar
4 oz unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1 stick unsalted butter, cut into pieces
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs, lightly beaten

Filling
2 tbs unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
2-3 tbs heavy cream
1 & 1/2 cups marshmallow creme

Ganache
6 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tbs unsalted butter
2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Icing
1 stick unsalted butter
1 & 1/2 - 2 tbs milk
2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 tsp vanilla


Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350. Place paper liners in muffin tin for about 20-22 cupcakes (or just do two batches if you only have a single muffin tin).

Prepare the cupcakes: Bring the sugar and 1 cup water to a boil in a saucepan, stirring until the sugar dissolves, about 3 minutes. Pour into a large bowl; add the chocolate and butter and let sit, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate is melted and the mixture has cooled slightly. Stir in the vanilla.

Sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a bowl.

Beat the eggs into the chocolate, then mix in the dry ingredients.

Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans (about 1/4 cup batter per cupcake) and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 25 minutes. They may sink a tiny bit in the middle. It’s ok.

For the filling: Cream the butter until light and fluffy. Beat in 1/2 cup powdered sugar. Add the vanilla and 1 tablespoon heavy cream; beat until smooth. Beat in the remaining 1/2 cup powdered sugar and 2 tablespoons heavy cream in batches, alternating after each addition. Beat in the marshmallow creme; set aside or refrigerate.

For the ganache: Place the chocolate in a stainless steel bowl. Heat the cream and 1 tablespoon butter until just boiling, then pour over the chocolate; let stand for 5 minutes. Whisk until smooth. Add 2 teaspoons vanilla; let stand until cool but still glossy and liquid.

Spoon the filling into a pastry bag with a medium star tip. Insert the tip into the center of each cupcake top; fill until the cupcake is heavier. It's ok if some of the filling peeks out, since it will be covered by the ganache.(For those of us without fancy things: Use a ziploc bag and cut the tip off the corner. Use a butter knife to X the middles of your cooled cupcakes and just shove the baggie on in there. It works perfectly.)

Spoon a little ganache on each cupcake and lightly spread with an offset spatula or a knife. Chill for at least 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the icing: Beat the remaining 1 stick butter, 1/4 teaspoon vanilla, the milk and powdered sugar until smooth, adding more milk if needed. Spoon into a pastry bag with a small tip (or use the technique described above with an even smaller tip cut off the corner of your baggie.) and pipe onto the cupcakes to decorate.

Store in the refrigerator, but allow to warm up to room temperature for a good 15 minutes before serving.