Chic Cupcake Challenge Entry

This morning I am exhausted, but for a good cause. Last night I finished my entry for the First Chic Cupcake Challenge and I couldn’t be more pleased. Fall is my favorite season and here in Texas it sometimes can feel like we have three seasons, Warm, Hot and Holy Jalapeño. Well it’s been in the cool 60’s the last few days, full of cool air and rainy nights, and its perfect.

My entry for the Cupcake Challenge includes a Devils Food Cupcake filled with a Salted Caramel Ganache and frosted with a milk chocolate ganache. Its chocolate heaven!! Perfect to enjoy curled up on the couch wrapped up in your favorite blanket. The cupcakes have been topped off with some fun maple and oak fondant leaves.

Devils Food Cake:

1 cup unsalted butter

2 1/2 cups sugar

2 cups boiling water

1 cup cocoa powder

4 eggs 1 tablespoon chocolate extract

2 3/4 cups cake flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt


Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl beat butter sugar, eggs and chocolate extract together. Alternately beat in the dry ingredients and the chocolate mixture. beat just until blended, do not over mix. Pour batter into the cupcake pans and bake for about 30 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. Remove cupcakes from oven and allow them to set for 3-5 minutes

Salted Caramel Ganache

2 cups sugar

1/3 cup water

4 cups cream

1tsp Fine Sea Salt

To prepare the ganache, place the sugar and water gently into a large sauté pan and cook without stirring or moving until any part of the mixture turns brown. Swirl to even the color and cook until golden brown. Carefully add 1 cup of the cream and cook until the mixture turns into a sauce consistency. Remove from the stove and cool. Add the remaining cream and chill completely. To finish the ganache, place in a mixer fitted with a whip attachment and whip until the ganache hold a soft peak.

Fill Cupcakes with Salted Caramel Ganache and plug holes to frost later.

Chocolate Ganache Frosting

8 ounces (227 grams) semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, cut into small pieces

3/4 cup (180 ml) heavy whipping cream

2 tablespoons (28 grams) unsalted butter

Melt chopped chocolate in bowl under simmering water. Pour cream over chocolate and continue simmering until melted. Remove the melted mixture and whip butter. Put in fridge to get frosting consistency.

ENJOY!

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