CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES WITH FILLING

I like everything that is filled: filled cupcakes, filled Madeleines, filled brownies.  Besides being cute, they are very delicious, right?

Ingredients (15 cupcakes)

25 g cocoa powder 

180 g Self-raising flour

1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

150 g butter
150 g caster sugar

3 eggs

100 ml butter milk

Filling

About 125 g chocolate spread
(You may use Nutella or another brand - I used a two-coloured chocolate spread)

7-Minutes Frosting (Recipe from wiseGEEK)

2 egg whites

341 g sugar  (1 1/2 cups)

1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar or light corn syrup

71 ml water (1/3 cup)

Pinch of salt

Vanilla essence

Colouring

Method (Creaming Method)

Cupcakes

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1.  Sift the cocoa powder, flour, salt and baking powder together.

2.  Beat the butter for 2 minutes; Add the sugar and cream together using an electric mixer.  From time to time scrape mixture down sides of bowl.  Continue creaming until mixture is light and fluffy and passes the Aeration Test.

3.  Beat in one egg at a time, continuing to beat after each addition until mixture is smooth.

If the mixture is curdling then add a tablespoon of the sifted flour.  But if your eggs are at room temperature, you are not supposed to have this problem.

a)  Beat butter  b) Cream in sugar  c)  Creamed mixture  d)  Beat in eggs one at a time  e)  Smooth mixture!

4.  Fold in half of the sifted dry ingredients followed by half of the buttermilk.

5.  Fold in the remaining dry ingredients and butter milk.

6.  Fill the cupcake cups 1/2 to 2/3 full.  It depends on you: 2/3 full for rounded top; 1/2 full for flat top.  I filled mine just about 2/3 full.

7.  Bake at 170°C for about 25-30 minutes depending on your oven.  Allow to cool before proceeding with the filling and decoration.

Filling

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You can make a hole in the center of your cupcake by either using a knife, a small cookie cutter, an apple corer or a cupcake plunger.

1.  I am using an apple corer.  Simply push the apple corer into the center of your cupcake stopping midway (we don't want a hole at the bottom of the cupcake, right?); twist gently and remove the apple corer.  Don't throw or eat the piece of cake stuck in the apple corer!! Set aside for use later.  The remaining piece looks like a plug :-D

2.  Fill the cupcake with your favourite filling.  You can use just about anything provided it is thick and creamy.  Some examples are: chocolate mousse, chocolate ganache, cream cheese filling, marshmallow fluff or crème, thick caramel sauce and so on.  Use a piping bag to accurately fill the center of the cupcake.

3.  "Plug" the remaining piece of cake into the center of your cupcake to hide the exposed filling.  You might need to cut the 'cake plug' into half!

1.  Core cupcake  2.  Fill cupcake  3.  Close the top with remaining piece of cake

Frosting

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1.  Combine all ingredients in a bowl, except vanilla and colouring, and beat for one minute.  Place bowl over boiling water and beat continuously on high speed for seven minutes, scraping the bowl occasionally. The mixture should be thick, glossy and voluptuous.  Beat in vanilla essence and colouring.  Frost cupcakes. 

Flavourings, such as almond or lemon, may be added, as well as small amounts of food colouring to tint the seven-minute frosting.

POINTS TO BE NOTED

This frosting is super delicious when eaten fresh.  Mine was stable for like two days!!  But to be frank,  the next day I found it EGGY!  Use butter cream to decorate your cupcakes if you are planning to keep them for a longer period of time.  You should also use good quality flavouring.