These cupcakes almost never happened. Even though I had a long three day weekend and planned ahead, when I went to make them I realized I was an egg short. See I've started to lose track of what we have and don't have in the house food-wise. Reason being, I recently relinquished my grocery shopping duties to my husband. Although it pains me, my credit card is breathing a sigh of relief and the budget is picking it's tired self up off the floor.
See I'm an obsessive compulsive grocery shopper. I shop for groceries like some women shop for shoes–impulsively and without regard for how many I already have or how much I've already spent on groceries for the month. You'd think I was 300lbs. or setting up a ranch in the middle of the wilderness with no signs of life for hundreds of miles (neither of which are true). Part of the problem is that I like to buy certain items at certain grocery or specialty food stores. While I'm there to pick up that specific item, I inevitably find some other item/s that can also only be purchased at that certain store and who knows when I'll be back this way...the justification is shameful. The lengths I go to to justify buying those pepperocinis, that cheese, that certain kind of balsamic vinegar, the list goes on. You never know when you might need melba toast or panko breadcrumbs, or cabernet flavored salami, right? Maybe it's just me but if an item has an expiration date a year in the future it might as well be sitting on my shelf rather than the store's. Something about having three tubs of unopened expired sour cream in the fridge and a bottle of marinade in the pantry that expired in May 2007 made my husband say enough is enough. Rightly so, I guess.
I was pleased with how these cupcakes turned out. It was well worth the time to find this which is now my most favorite buttercream recipe ever. These cupcakes are not very true to the traditional Black Forest Cake but more of an interpretation. Chocolate, cherries, liquor and buttercream–all wonderful things that become more wonderfuller when combined. I love filled cupcakes and hope to make many more in the future.
For the cupcakes
Sour Cream Chocolate Cupcakes
adapted from The Cake Book by Tish Boyle
• 2 2/3 cup all purpose flour
• 2 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup natural cocoa powder (not dutch processed)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature
• 2/3 cup sour cream, at room temperature
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 10 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 2/3 cup safflower oil
• 1 1/4 cup ice-cold water
Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 F. Line two cupcake pans with cupcake liners.
Sift together the four, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt into a medium bow. Whisk to combine, and set aside.
In another medium bow, whisk together the eggs until blended. Whisk in the sour cream and vanilla extract until blended. Set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, using the paddle attachment, mix the melted butter and oil together at low speed. Add the cold water and mix to blend. Add the dry ingredients all at once and mix at medium-low speed for 1 minute. Add the egg mixture and mix for another minute, until well blended, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as necessary. Scrape the batter into the prepared pans, filling each cup 2/3 full.
Bake the cupcakes for 20-25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool the cupcakes in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
For the filling
Cherry Compote
• 4 cup cherries halved and pitted
• 1 cup kirsch (cherry flavored brandy)
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
Combine all ingredients in a sauce pan over medium/low heat. Bring to simmer and break down cherries into slightly smaller pieces by mashing them with a wooden spoon, stirring occasionally until mixture has thickened slightly (about 10 minutes). Pour some of the thickened liquid through a mesh sleeve to reserve 2 tablespoons for the buttercream.
For the icing
Cherry Buttercream
adapted from Cakes for Occasions by Kim Morrison
• 3 cups plus 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup egg whites
• 1 1/2 pounds butter (6 sticks), softened
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Special Equipment: candy thermometer
Mix 3 cups sugar with water in a small, heavy saucepan. Cook over high heat until syrup reaches 248 degrees F on a candy thermometer. Watch it closely as it gets close to temperature; it will go quickly at the end.
While syrup is cooking, beat egg whites with 2 tablespoons sugar until stiff but not dry. (Extra- fine granulated sugar works best). Turn mixer off until syrup is ready.
With mixer running, pour syrup into the egg whites in a thin, steady stream, making sure not to pour directly onto beaters. Be careful, as hot syrup can burn if you. Continue to beat mixture until it is no longer hot.
Allow to cool to room temperature and then beat in the softened butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, until all is incorporated. (Salted butter works fine. If you are using unsalted butter, add 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste.) The mixture will become thin and may look curdled at first, but will then become smooth as it beats. Lastly, beat in the reserved cherry syrup from the filling all at once.
If not using at once, refrigerate the buttercream until needed. It will keep for 1 week in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator. To use, just bring it back to room temperature and re-beat to restore the texture. If you have trouble with the texture, getting it to room temperature and extra beating* are the keys to making it smooth.
* If after you've added the butter, you have a soupy mess, don't despair! Just leave your mixer set on high and do something else for about ten minutes. You'll return to icing with the best texture you can imagine!
To Assemble
1. Cut out a cone from the top of each cupcake. Cut off the excess from the underside of the cone. Set the top aside.
2. Fill each cavity with the cherry filling.
3. Replace each top.
4. Ice the cupcakes, covering up any imperfections left over from filling the cupcakes.
See I'm an obsessive compulsive grocery shopper. I shop for groceries like some women shop for shoes–impulsively and without regard for how many I already have or how much I've already spent on groceries for the month. You'd think I was 300lbs. or setting up a ranch in the middle of the wilderness with no signs of life for hundreds of miles (neither of which are true). Part of the problem is that I like to buy certain items at certain grocery or specialty food stores. While I'm there to pick up that specific item, I inevitably find some other item/s that can also only be purchased at that certain store and who knows when I'll be back this way...the justification is shameful. The lengths I go to to justify buying those pepperocinis, that cheese, that certain kind of balsamic vinegar, the list goes on. You never know when you might need melba toast or panko breadcrumbs, or cabernet flavored salami, right? Maybe it's just me but if an item has an expiration date a year in the future it might as well be sitting on my shelf rather than the store's. Something about having three tubs of unopened expired sour cream in the fridge and a bottle of marinade in the pantry that expired in May 2007 made my husband say enough is enough. Rightly so, I guess.
I was pleased with how these cupcakes turned out. It was well worth the time to find this which is now my most favorite buttercream recipe ever. These cupcakes are not very true to the traditional Black Forest Cake but more of an interpretation. Chocolate, cherries, liquor and buttercream–all wonderful things that become more wonderfuller when combined. I love filled cupcakes and hope to make many more in the future.
For the cupcakes
Sour Cream Chocolate Cupcakes
adapted from The Cake Book by Tish Boyle
• 2 2/3 cup all purpose flour
• 2 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup natural cocoa powder (not dutch processed)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature
• 2/3 cup sour cream, at room temperature
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 10 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 2/3 cup safflower oil
• 1 1/4 cup ice-cold water
Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 F. Line two cupcake pans with cupcake liners.
Sift together the four, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt into a medium bow. Whisk to combine, and set aside.
In another medium bow, whisk together the eggs until blended. Whisk in the sour cream and vanilla extract until blended. Set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, using the paddle attachment, mix the melted butter and oil together at low speed. Add the cold water and mix to blend. Add the dry ingredients all at once and mix at medium-low speed for 1 minute. Add the egg mixture and mix for another minute, until well blended, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as necessary. Scrape the batter into the prepared pans, filling each cup 2/3 full.
Bake the cupcakes for 20-25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool the cupcakes in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
For the filling
Cherry Compote
• 4 cup cherries halved and pitted
• 1 cup kirsch (cherry flavored brandy)
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
Combine all ingredients in a sauce pan over medium/low heat. Bring to simmer and break down cherries into slightly smaller pieces by mashing them with a wooden spoon, stirring occasionally until mixture has thickened slightly (about 10 minutes). Pour some of the thickened liquid through a mesh sleeve to reserve 2 tablespoons for the buttercream.
For the icing
Cherry Buttercream
adapted from Cakes for Occasions by Kim Morrison
• 3 cups plus 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup egg whites
• 1 1/2 pounds butter (6 sticks), softened
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Special Equipment: candy thermometer
Mix 3 cups sugar with water in a small, heavy saucepan. Cook over high heat until syrup reaches 248 degrees F on a candy thermometer. Watch it closely as it gets close to temperature; it will go quickly at the end.
While syrup is cooking, beat egg whites with 2 tablespoons sugar until stiff but not dry. (Extra- fine granulated sugar works best). Turn mixer off until syrup is ready.
With mixer running, pour syrup into the egg whites in a thin, steady stream, making sure not to pour directly onto beaters. Be careful, as hot syrup can burn if you. Continue to beat mixture until it is no longer hot.
Allow to cool to room temperature and then beat in the softened butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, until all is incorporated. (Salted butter works fine. If you are using unsalted butter, add 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste.) The mixture will become thin and may look curdled at first, but will then become smooth as it beats. Lastly, beat in the reserved cherry syrup from the filling all at once.
If not using at once, refrigerate the buttercream until needed. It will keep for 1 week in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator. To use, just bring it back to room temperature and re-beat to restore the texture. If you have trouble with the texture, getting it to room temperature and extra beating* are the keys to making it smooth.
* If after you've added the butter, you have a soupy mess, don't despair! Just leave your mixer set on high and do something else for about ten minutes. You'll return to icing with the best texture you can imagine!
To Assemble
1. Cut out a cone from the top of each cupcake. Cut off the excess from the underside of the cone. Set the top aside.
2. Fill each cavity with the cherry filling.
3. Replace each top.
4. Ice the cupcakes, covering up any imperfections left over from filling the cupcakes.
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