Big City, Little Kitchen

I have had maybe two Hostess cupcakes ever, and they were always consumed beyond the watchful eyes of sugar-conscious grown-ups.  As luck would have it, I was cursed with a mother who insisted on baking our treats herself, and who never let us have the fun, dessert-like cereals or store-bought cookies.  Imagine, then, how I coveted those perfect little cakes, knowing only that they were forbidden (and that they had an alluring, frosting-filled center). 

Much as I love the comfort of foods enjoyed as a child, I suspect said cupcake wouldn’t be nearly as delicious now as it was then.  However, I do have a weakness for cupcakes, and the idea that I could take these icons and make them-dare I say it?-better was tempting.  I adapted Buttercup Bake Shop’s chocolate cake recipe, frosted the cakes with chocolate ganache, and filled them with Marshmallow Fluff. 

My (totally biased) opinion is that I succeeded, though on occasion, nothing can beat a pre-packaged delicacy, for nostalgic value if nothing else.   Try for yourself and let me know!

Cake:

• 1/2 cup hot water
• 1 rounded tsp espresso powder
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder (preferably Vahlrona)
• 1/4 cup cold water
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 6 tb unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 3 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, melted

Ganache:

• 4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
• 1/3 cup heavy cream

Filling:

1/2 (about 4 ounces) Marshmallow Fluff

Makes 12 cupcakes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Spray muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray. 

To make cake: 

Chop chocolate roughly; put in a small metal bowl, and set over a pan of simmering water.  Stir until melted; set aside to cool. 

In a small bowl, combine espresso and hot water; mix thoroughly.  Add cocoa powder, cold water, and vanilla.  Sift flour into a medium bowl, then add baking soda and salt.

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light in color.  Add eggs one at a time, beating well in between.  Add dry ingredients in thirds, alternating with coffee mixture.  Once combined, fold in melted chocolate. 

Distribute batter among the twelve cupcake molds.  Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean. 

To make ganache: 

While cakes are cooling, combine the chocolate for the ganache, roughly chopped, and the heavy cream in a pan.  Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until combined, and mixture is shiny and smooth.  Let cool completely.

To assemble cakes:

Put a few spoonfuls of the Marshmallow Fluff into a Ziploc bag.  Seal top and cut off one bottom corner, leaving a small opening, through which to squeeze the Fluff. 

In the bottom of each cooled cupcake, insert a pairing knife about 1 1/2 inches, then cut a small circle (1/2 inch or so in diameter), and remove the cake piece.  Cut the top half off of the cake piece (this is the plug for the filling).  Insert the cut corner into the opening in the cupcake, and squeeze the Fluff into the opening, filling the cupcake.  Replace the tiny plug in the cake, and set the cupcake aside.  Repeat for all cakes.

Spread each cake with a layer of the cooled ganache, then decorate each with a squiggle of Fluff using the Ziploc.