Chocolate cuppies with butter cream

Last saturday I was invited to a party of my friend Nia. I knew she would cook plenty of food so I didn't plan to bring any food either. But I never feel good to come with empty hands, so I brought her chocolate cupcakes and garnish with light chocolate butter cream.


Chocolate Cupcakes

Ingredients:
175 ml milk
60 gr pure chocolate, fine chopped
125 gr sugar
60 gr butter, at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence
1 big egg, whisked
150 gr selfraising flour
2 eatspoons chocolate chips or chopped pure chocolate

1. Heat the milk in a saucepan to boiling point. Put the chocolate and one third of the sugar in a bowl, pour out the milk and stir until smooth. Let it cool.

2. Put the butter in a bowl, add the remaining sugar and vanilla. Beat the mixture light and airy with a wooden spoon and scoop the egg slowly in. Stir the chocolate mixture and flour alternately through there. Stir through the chocolate chips. Fill the paper cups two-thirds of the mixture. Bake the cakes in a preheated oven about 15-18 minutes at 180°c. Let them cool before garnishing.


Light Chocolate Butter Cream

Ingredients:
125 gr butter, at room temperature
400 gr sugar powder, sifted
3 eatspoons cocoa powder, sifted
3-4 eatspoon milk

Beat the butter in a bowl with wooden spoon or mixer until soft and creamy. Beat in the icing sugar, cocoa and milk slowly to get a thick and smooth glaze. Place the mixer when used on the lowest stand.

Variations:
- Mocca butter cream: replace the milk with cold coffee.
- White vanilla icing: Replace the cocoa powder with 1 tsp vanilla essence.

(Source: Chocolate by Linda Collister)

Devil's Food Cake

I made devil's food cupcakes before, but this time I want a real cake. Eventhough I find this cake is a bit too dry, perhaps because I use whipped cream instead of sour cream. But the texture is light, has beautiful dark color and the taste is heavenly delicious. I'm not exaggeratted, but to have rich super delicious chocolate ganache, use a very good quality chocolate.

Devil's Food Cake
(source: Chocolate by Linda Collister)

Ingredients:
110 gr pure chocolate, fine chopped
125 ml sour cream (I use whipped cream)
175 gr sugar cane

300 gr flour
a pinch of salt
3 eatspoons cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda

115 gr butter
200 gr sugar
2 big eggs, split
1 teaspoon vanilla essence

175 ml water, at room temperature

Ganache & filling
140 gr pure chocolate, fine chopped
140 gr milk chocolate, fine chopped
225 ml sour cream

Directions:
1. Heat the chopped chocolate, sour cream and cane sugar in a heavy bottom saucepan over low heat. Stir occasionally until the chocolate melted and mixture is smooth, but not too hot. Put the melted chocolate aside until further use

2. Sift the flour, salt, cocoa and baking soda, put aside.

3. Beat the butter until creamy with a mixer. Beat in the sugar slowly. Beat the egg yolks one by one, followed by the vanilla essence. Stir the sifted flour mixture there, interspersed with water, tablespoon by tablespoon. Use the lowest position of the mixer and mix briefly as possible.

4. Add the melted chocolate once the rest is well mixed. Pour the mixture over the mold (23 cm diameter) and bake the cakes for 50 minutes in a preheated oven at 180°c. You can also divide the mixture over two molds of 23 cm diameter, then bake the cakes for 25-30 minutes.
The cake is cooked when it springs back when gently pressed in the middle and it becomes separated from the edge. Let it cool 10 minutes and turn it out on a rack, remove the greaseproof paper and allow to cool completely.


Ganache & filling

1. Melt the dark & milk chocolate in a fireproof bowl over a saucepan with stomed but not boiling water. Remove the bowl from the heat, stir the mixture until smooth and whisk in the cream. Let the mixture thick and spreadable.

2. Divide the cake into two or three layers, spread frosting on the cake. Place the layers on each other, then spread the top and sides of cake with the glaze. Store the cake in a cool place until you serve.

**I use microwave method (idea sources from Planet Cake) to make the ganache or melt the chocolate. It's easier and less work.

1. Put the chocolates and cream in a microwave-proof bowl and heat for 1-2 minutes on high then remove and stir. Repeat heating (if necessary) and then stirring until the ganache is smooth.

2. Remove the bowl from the microwave, cover with plastic wrap and leave for 5 minutes. Shake the bowl a little bit so all the chocolate sinks to the bottom.

3. Mix with a hande whisk until smooth, allow to cool completely.