Chocolate Cupcakes, Reminiscent of Hostess

There was a time in my life where I absolutely loved having a Little Debbie or Hostess snack cake tucked into my lunchbox for dessert.  Then during college, I went on a big nutrition kick and tried to eliminate unnecessarily processed foods from my diet.  That doesn't mean I kicked the sweets habit (believe me!).  Instead, I made the conscious choice to bake treats at home instead of buying any pre-wrapped or grocery-store bakery desserts.  In the end, you get a lot more satisfaction out of it. 

Exhibit A:  These homemade "Hostess-style" cupcakes

Acknowledgements:  I pretty much followed this YumSugar recipe exactly, with the exception of a couple ingredients.  I like using coffee with chocolate in baked goods; it really intensifies the cocoa flavor.  So I used coffee + milk instead of just milk.

 Ingredients:

For cake:

• 1/3 cup cocoa powder (try to use something high quality, if possible.  Store brands probably won't cut it) 
• 1 cup all-purpose flour 
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder 
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda 
• 1/4 teaspoon salt 
• 1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 3/4 cup sugar 
• 2 eggs 
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 
• 1/4 cup milk 
• 1/2 cup brewed coffee, cooled

For marshmallow filling:

• 1 egg white 
• 1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar 
• 1/3 cup water 
• 1/3 cup sugar 
• 1/4 cup light corn syrup 
• Pinch of salt 
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

For chocolate ganache:

• 1/2 cup half-and-half 
• 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
  

Directions

1. To make the cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line 12 cupcake tins with liners. In a separate bowl, whisk together the cocoa powder, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Set aside.
2. In bowl of standing mixer, lock in the whisk attachment and beat the butter and sugar together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.  Add the eggs, one at a time, until thoroughly mixed, then add the vanilla extract.  Mix the cold coffee and milk together in a pourable measuring cup.  Reduce the mixer speed to low and alternate adding in the milk and flour mixture in 1/3 increments.  Try not to over-mix, but make sure the batter is thoroughly combined.  Divide batter equally between the cupcake liners.  Bake for 15-20 minutes or until toothpick test comes out clean from the center.  Let cupcakes cool for 5 minutes in the pan before transferring to a cooling rack.
3. To make marshmallow filling:  Brace yourselves.  This is basically like making a candy, because you need to have a thermometer to know just how hot your mixture is before adding to the other ingredients.  But if I can do this on the first try (and by using a digital meat thermometer), then so can you.
   Carefully wash and dry your stand mixer bowl plus the whisk attachment and return them to stand mixer. Do not touch the clean whisk or inside of the bowl with your hands (the oil from our fingers can interfere with getting the egg whites fluffy).  Add the egg white and cream of tartar to the bowl, and turn the mixer on medium speed.  Allow the mixer to run until soft peaks form on the whisk.  Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine water, sugar, corn syrup, and salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until a thermometer reads 240ºF.  Immediately remove the pan from heat.
4. Turn the mixer speed to low, and slowly pour the hot syrup into the bowl to incorporate with the fluffy egg whites.  You don't want to go too quickly and deflate the egg whites, so make sure the mixer is "keeping up with you" and incorporating the liquid into the egg whites.  Then, increase the mixer speed to medium-high and beat for 5 - 6 minutes, or until mixture looks thick, fluffy, and slightly glossy.  Add the vanilla extract and beat another 1 - 2 minutes.  Transfer 2/3 of marshmallow cream to a pastry bag or a gallon Ziplock.  Cut one of the corners off of the bag; the size of the snipped corner doesn't matter too much-- just as long as you can control the amount that comes out at one time.  Transfer remaining 1/3 of marshmallow fluff to a separate pastry bag (or a smaller Ziplock bag).  This small bag will be for icing the white swirled pattern on top of the ganache, so the opening needs to be very small. For now, set the marshmallow cream aside.
5. To make ganache: Place the half-and-half in a small saucepan over low heat and cook until small bubbles form on the side.  You could also do this in a glass measuring cup in the microwave on power 7 or 8 (not full power) but watch closely for the liquid to simmer with bubbles.  Immediately remove from heat (or microwave).  Add the chocolate to the bowl or saucepan and let sit for about 2 minutes.  Then, whisk the mixture until smooth and the chocolate is completely melted.  Use within 10 -15 minutes or else refrigerate the ganache until ready to assemble cupcakes.
6. The main event:  assembling the cupcakes!  Since I do not have a pastry bag with metal tips, I had to improvise on how to fill these.  I carefully used a paring knife to cut a quarter sized cutout about 1 to 1.5 inches deep into the cupcake.  Then I trimmed the bottom of this "cake cutout" to allow more room for the filling.  Do not scrap the top half because you will be placing them back into the cupcake after the filling is added.  But you have full permission to eat the "cake trimmings."  After all cupcakes are cutout, use the gallon Ziplock full of marshmallow creme to pipe it into the cupcakes (about 1 tbsp of creme, or whatever fits).  Then, replace each cake cutout back into the cupcake and press down.  The ganache should be warm enough to drizzle and spread onto the tops of the cupcakes, but not too hot (runny) so that it does not set on the cupcakes.  Use about 1 tbsp of ganache per cupcake and spread to the edges with a butter knife or icing knife.  
7. Allow the ganache to cool completely before adding the trademark white curly-cues on top.  When the ganache has set, use the smaller Ziplock with the marshmallow creme and cut an extremely small corner off of one side (too big of a hole and you will have trouble controlling the size and speed of the creme).  Carefully pipe a design onto the icing (whether it is the Hostess curly-cue or not).  Take a bow for your hard work, and enjoy!