"Hostess" CupCakes

Source: WSJ/ Tiffany Maclsaac, Pastry Chef.

Makes 36 servings.

Preparation time: 3 hour

Tips: Cake recipe good for layer cakes. Cupcakes baked best in ceramic ramekin

Ingredients

Preparation

Devils Food Cake:

3 cups granulated sugar

2¼ cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking soda

1½ teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon kosher salt

1½ cups cocoa powder

4 large eggs

2 large egg yolks

1½ cups buttermilk

1½ cups strong brewed coffee, warm

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

1½ tablespoons butter, melted

1.Make mousse: Place yolks, eggs and sugar in a bowl over a double boiler and whisk until warm to the touch, about 2 minutes. Remove from double boiler and whisk until thick, about 2 minutes. Drizzle melted chocolate into egg mixture, whisking vigorously until incorporated. In a separate bowl whisk cream to stiff peaks. Fold into egg-chocolate mixture and place in a piping bag fitted with a large tip. Refrigerate until needed.

2. Make cupcakes: Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Sift sugar, flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cocoa into a bowl. In another bowl whisk together eggs, yolks, buttermilk, coffee and vanilla. Slowly add wet ingredients to dry ingredients, whisking. Add butter and stir until just combined.

3.Spray a (3) 12-cup nonstick cupcake pan with cooking spray or line with paper cups. Ceramic molds such as ramekin greased also works well. Fill each cup halfway with batter. Bake until cooked through, 18-20 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool to room temperature before filling and glazing.

4. Make glaze: In a small pot, bring cream to a simmer. Place bittersweet chocolate, butter and salt in a bowl. Pour simmering cream into the bowl and let sit 1 minute. Whisk until smooth.

5. Assemble cupcakes: Working with one at a time, remove cupcakes from pan. Insert the piping tip into the top center of each cupcake and pipe in white chocolate until full. Wipe any excess off top of cupcake.

6. Dip tops of cupcakes in glaze. Shake upside down to remove excess. Allow glaze to set 10 minutes. Place warm white chocolate in a piping bag with a narrow tip and pipe a line of loops across top of each cupcake.

NOTES : Makes (1) dozen cup cakes and (2) 8” layer cakes or, 36 cup cakes. Makes plenty of Mousse.