Mocha Latte Cupcakes

[Jerryanne]

Photo by Southern Living


MOCHA LATTE CUPCAKES
(Source: Southern Living's Big Book of Cupcakes)

MOCHA CAKE:
2 c. boiling water
1 c. Dutch process cocoa
1-2 Tbsp. instant espresso
1 c. butter, softened
2 c. fine granulated sugar or castor sugar
4 large eggs
2 3/4 c. all-purpose soft-wheat flour (White Lily) or cake flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. chocolate extract or vanilla extract
Paper baking cups
Vegetable cooking spray

VANILLA FROSTING:
1/2 c. butter, softened
3-4 Tbsp. whipping cream
1 tsp. clear vanilla extract
1/8 tsp. salt
1 (16 oz.) pkg. confectioners' sugar

TOPPINGS:
Chocolate jimmies

CARAMEL DRIZZLE:
1/2 c. butter
1 c. granulated sugar
1 c. whipping cream

CHOCOLATE GANACHE:
1 c. whipping cream
8 oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place paper baking cups in 2 (12-cup) muffin pans, and coat with cooking spray; set aside.

For the mocha cakes, stir together boiling water, cocoa, and espresso until smooth; let cool.

Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy; gradually add sugar, beating well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating until blended after each addition.

Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt; add to butter mixture alternately with cocoa mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture, beating at low speed until blended after each addition. Stir in chocolate extract.

Spoon batter into cups, filling 2/3 full. Bake @ 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks, and cool completely.

For the vanilla frosting, beat butter, cream, vanilla and salt at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add confectioners' sugar, beating at low speed until blended. Beat at high speed 2 minutes or until creamy. Make 3 cups.

Frost each cupcake with Vanilla Frosting using metal tip # 12.

For the caramel drizzle, cook butter and sugar in a 2-quart heavy metal saucepan over high heat, stirring occasionally, until mixture is caramel-colored, about 4-5 minutes.

Remove from heat; slowly add cream, stirring constantly until blended.
Return to heat, and bring to a boil; cook 1-2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cool. Makes about 1 1/2 cups.

For the chocolate ganache, cook cream in a heavy non-aluminum saucepan over medium heat, stirring often, just until it begins to steam (do not boil); remove from heat.

Place chocolate in a glass bowl. Slowly add hot cream to chocolate, beating with a whisk until chocolate melts and mixture is well blended. The mixture will thicken as it cools. Makes about 2 cups.

Drizzle each cupcake with caramel and chocolate, and top each with chocolate jimmies. Makes 24.

[Christine Mlinek]

mocha for me, mocha for you, yum!

[Smokeysmomm]

thanks Carol, these sound wonderful.