I can now say that this cupcake is award winning as it won 1st place tonight at a dessert competition! I couldn't be more thrilled at the idea that I worked so hard on this and it paid off! Yippee!
The back story, how it was born-The Mister had a work party that included a dessert contest. I was thrilled since I've discovered my new love for baking. Cooking is something I've always loved, but baking hasn't always been my fave since I'm not that into sweets. So, I took this contest as a way to really step out of the box and create something beautiful AND delicious!
I was explaining to the Mister that presentation is just as important (if not more) than taste. He, of course, disagreed. I defended my opinion by saying you first have get someone to want to taste your treat (presentation) before they can even judge it. Hence, you have to make it pretty to lure them! :) I've seen some real tasty foods, that looked not so appealing... Am I right?!
Let me say that this cupcake isn't hard to make, it just involves a couple steps as it is completely homemade- no boxes here!
Let the baking begin!
Cupcake batter
1 cup unslated butter (yes, use REAL butter/cream)
1 bottle Sam Adams Cream Stout Beer (can be substituted for any stout beer)
3/4 cups cocoa powder, unsweetened
2 1/8 cups cake flour (can substitute all purpose flour, but I liked the consistency of this one)
1 cup dark brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 large eggs
1/2 heaping cup sour cream (for moistness)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350.
Melt butter over medium heat. Stir in beer. When mixture simmers, add cocoa powder and whisk until smooth. Turn off heat, set aside, allow to cool slightly.
In a large bowl, combine flour, sugars, baking soda and salt. Mix well, set aside.
In a blender, whisk eggs and sour cream until just combined. Mix in dry ingredients slowly. And blend on low speed until just combined. *Don't overbeat anything bread/cake related that you make.
Put in cake pan or lined cupcake pans. Mini cupcakes bake for 10 minutes. Cake will probably bake 25 minutes or so. Inserted toothpick should come out mostly clean.
*If you make a cake, butter pan and shake in cocoa powder over the butter. This will make it easy to remove, and the cocoa is a great alternative over flour given the dark color of the cupcake.
Kahlua Frosting/filling
5 Tbsp French Vanilla Kahlua (you can use less, but then use less powder sugar)
3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
5 cups confectioners (powder) sugar (seems like a lot, but used for filling as well)
2 Tbsp heavy cream
Directions:
In a blender, whick butter and Kahlua until combined. Slowly mix in powder sugar. Lastly, add heavy cream one tablespoon at a time. Mix on medium speed until well combined. You can adjust accordingly, too stiff-add more heavy cream, too runny-add more powder sugar. I always manage to have to adjust this.
Chocolate ganache (optional, but so good)
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
1/2 cup heavy cream
4 Tbsp dark brown sugar
1/2 cup cocoa powder
Directions:
Melt butter in saucepan over medium low heat. Add heavy cream, stir and simmer. Add dark brown sugar and stir until dissolved. Add cocoa powder last. Simmer this for a moment longer, until all ingredients have been incorporated. Then take off heat. Allow mixture to cool slightly before using; it will thicken as it cools. *Ganache isn't super sweet, it's meant to marry with something sweeter to compliment it.
Sugar Creation (also optional, but so easy and makes a big statement!)
1 cup granulated sugar
1/8 tsp cream of tartar
1/3 cup water
silpat mat
Directions: *do this on a dry day, humidity messes with the candy's stiffness
Roll out silpat mat, and set aside.
Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir until sugar has dissolved and the mixture turns clear. Turn heat up to medium-high and let boil until the color turns an amber shade and it puts off a sweet smell. This takes about 5-8 minutes or so. Stay right there and watch it or it will burn. Do not stir or touch it, it is VERY hot! After it is has just turn amber colored and smells sweet, pour into heat safe measuring cup. Stir immediately with a wooden spoon (or something else heat and cool resistant). This is the fun part! On the silpat mat, dip the wooden spoon into the liquid and make circles and lines in the air. This will 'spread' the hot mixture around. Do this til all of the mixture has been spread. Be sure to overlap your circles so that when you break them, they will be connected. Allow mixture to cool on mat for a few minutes. Lift mat's edge and break a piece of the sugar off. It will make beautiful, whimsical shapes. These pieces will be used on the cake or cupcakes.
Assembly:
When cupcakes have cooled, fill the center with the kahlua cream filling using a piping bag and tips. I used the biggest one I had on hand. Quickly dip the top of the cupcake into the ganache, and swirl upside down quickly to get excess off. You want the ganache to go right to the edge of the cupcake liner, but not run down the side. Once the ganache has cooled, pipe a dollop to kahlua cream on top. Adorn with a sugar art piece. And, voila! You've made a masterpiece, and completely from scratch!
Fine print- I've adapted this recipe on my own using a basic cake recipe that I tweaked, knowledge of ingredients, and good ol taste-as-you-go trial! My blood, sweat, and tears went into getting the right amount of each thing. :) SO, what took me a while to 'make/create' will now only take you a fraction of the time. I hope you all enjoy! Be sure to let me know how it worked out for you and please send friends back here to try it out too! This cupcake is SOOO worth your time!
Tata!
-Tia
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