When I was a kid Hostess Twinkies, Ding Dongs and Cupcakes were a real treat! As an adult I consider their practically unlimited shelf life a little disconcerting, and decided to try and make my own.
My “Fauxstess Cupcakes” are made up of three different recipes: moist dark chocolate cake, luscious fluffy cream filling and rich bittersweet chocolate ganache topping. These cupcakes are fabulous: moist, rich, chocolatey with, of course, lots of creamy filling–sweet but not overly sweet!
If you are a chocolate lover and maybe a little nostalgic for back-in-the-day treats, well, these Fauxstess Cupcakes are for YOU!
I’ve modernized these sweet treats by using combination of dark dutch chocolate cocoa powder, bittersweet chocolate and a splash of hot coffee along with a shortening-free cream filling that is light and fluffy to create a more adult style cupcake that even kids will love. Here is how you can make your own:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a cupcake pan with 12 papers and set aside.
Cupcakes: I used this old fashioned recipe which is delicious and easy to make (no mixer needed) and will yield 12 cupcakes.
Whisk flour, sugar, baking soda and salt together in large bowl. Set aside. In a medium bowl combine cocoa powder and chopped chocolate. Pour hot coffee over chocolate mixture and whisk until smooth.
Let cool slightly then whisk in the mayonnaise, egg and vanilla. Stir the mayonnaise mixture into the flour mixture until combined.
Use an ice cream scoop to evenly portion batter into the 12 cupcake cups. Bake for 20 minutes then check with a toothpick, if not done bake for another 10 minutes then check again. Toothpick should come out clean with a few crumbs attached.
Do not overbake the cupcakes or they will be dry and crumbly. Remove cupcakes from oven and immediately transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely before coring the cupcakes and filling, about 1 hour.
Cream Filling:
2 large egg whites (60 grams)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup light corn syrup
2 tablespoons water
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
Combine all ingredients in a metal bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water. Beat with a handheld electric mixer on high speed until frosting becomes thick and fluffy and registers 160 degrees on a digital thermometer. This will take around 7 to 10 minutes.
Remove bowl from heat and continue to beat until frosting is lightly cooled. Reserve about 1/2 cup of frosting and place in piping bag fitted with a small round tip to use for piping the swirls on cupcakes.
Place remaining frosting into a piping bag fitted with a large round tip. Set aside.
Fill Cupcakes: When cupcakes are completely cool, use a apple corer or sharp knife to create a hole in the center. If the cupcakes are completely cooled the cake with just crumble and fall apart when you try to core the centers.
Save a little “cap” from each hole to put on top of the cream filling. Pipe filling into the holes and top with the little cap left over from the centers.
Place cupcakes into the freezer for one hour.
Ganache Topping:
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 tablespoon butter, softened
In a small saucepan heat the cream until steaming and small bubbles form around the edges.
Remove from heat, add the chopped chocolate and let stand for 5 minutes. A
dd the butter and stir until smooth. Strain the ganache thru a sieve into a glass measuring cup.
Ideally, the ganache should remain at 100 degrees for dipping. Do not let the ganache get too hot or the chocolate won’t set up nicely. You can place the measuring cup with the ganache into the microwave for 20-30 seconds to get to 100 degrees.
Quickly dip the frozen cupcakes into the ganache, coating up to the paper. Place on wire rack to set up.
When ganache is set, pipe swirls across the tops of the cupcakes. Refrigerate cupcakes for 10 minutes to set the frosting.
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