Double Chocolate Mini Cupcakes

Yummy!  Going crazy with chocolate!  I think I’m in love with Chocolate because every time I feel like making cupcakes, I always dive into a Chocolate Cupcake.  When I made this, I wasn’t patient enough to wait for my meringue to stiff peaks so my piping wasn’t as elegant as I wanted it to be.  Also, David made a request on chocolate too, but he loves these cupcakes.  I personally think the Meringue frostings were ooey gooey to my teeth like melted marshmallows and the bitter chocolate flavor from the cupcake makes a great balance and worthwhile.  Hope you enjoy this recipe.

Chocolate Cupcake

Yield: 30 Mini Cupcakes

1.5 oz. – Lindt’s 85% Cocoa Chocolate (Use your preferred chocolate)

½ Stick – Butter (@ room temperature 67°-75°)

1/2 Cup – Sugar

1/2 Cup – AP Flour

1/4 Tsp – Baking Soda

1/4 Tsp – Baking Powder

1/8 Tsp – Salt

1 Large – Egg (@ room temperature 67°-75°)

1/4 Cup – Milk (or Buttermilk/Sour Cream)

Meringue Frosting

3 Large – Egg Whites (@ room temperature 67°-75°)

1  3/4 Cup – Sugar

1/4 Tsp – Cream of Tartar

1/2 Tsp – Vanilla Extract

1/2 Tsp – Almond Extract

Chocolate Coating

6 oz. – Semi – Sweet Chocolate (Use your preferred chocolate)

2 Tsp – Canola Oil

Procedure:

Chocolate Cupcake

1.       Melt the 1.5 oz. chocolate, set aside.

2.       Cream butter and sugar until fluffy (approximately 3 – 5 minutes).  *Reminder:  This allow maximum amount of air bubble to be trapped so that the recipe will rise in the oven and be light in texture.   When your butter is not at room temperature, this will make it hard for your butter to cream smoothly with the sugar to trap the air bubbles.  When butter is too soft, it does not allow us to hold air bubbles also.  I usually take it out of the fridge 1-2 hr prior to baking depending on the weather.

3.       Add the melted butter, continue creaming until combined.

4.       Add the egg slowly, continue creaming until fluffy.

5.       Sift AP Flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt into a bowl.  Add 1/2 of the flour to the mixture and mix until combined.  Add 1/2 the milk and continue alternate with dry ingredients.

6.       Use a number 70 Ice Cream scoop for and scoop into mini cupcake pans.

7.       Bake at 350°F for 12 to 15 minutes.  Let cool.

Meringue Frosting

1.       Combine egg whites and sugar together in a Bain Marie with mixing bowl.  Whisk the egg whites and sugar until sugars dissolves and it reaches 160°F.  *Note:  You will see a lot of bubbles, that’s okay.  Egg white needs to reach the temperature to allow to kills the bacteria from eating raw egg whites, best to use pasteurized egg whites also.

2.       With whisk attachment, whisk the meringue on medium to high speed until egg white is cooled.  Add the Cream of Tartar, continue to mix to stiff peak forms.  *Note: This takes approximately 10 minutes to reach stiff peak.

3.       Add the two extracts and whip to combine.

4.       With  a round tip, pipe mini cupcakes to desire shape.  Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Chocolate Coating

1.        Melt Semi-Sweet Chocolate and Canola Oil in a Bain Marie until smooth.

2.       Set aside to cool approximately 15 minutes or when the chocolate reaches 96-98°F.  *Note:  Depending on the type of chocolate, this temperature gives it the best coating and consistency.

3.       Dip mini cupcakes with chocolate and shake excess, allow the chocolate to set and ready to serve.