Barefoot Contessas Chocolate Cupcakes Recipes

CHOCOLATE GANACHE CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Line muffin pans with 12 paper liners. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• Cream the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, 1 at a time. Mix in the chocolate syrup and vanilla. Add the flour and mix until just combined. Don't overbeat, or the cupcakes will be tough.
• Scoop the batter into the muffin cups and bake for 30 minutes, or until just set in the middle. Don't overbake! Let the cupcakes cool thoroughly in the pan.
• For the ganache, cook the heavy cream, chocolate chips, and instant coffee in the top of a double boiler over simmering water until smooth and warm, stirring occasionally.
• Dip the top of each cupcake in the ganache. Decorate with candied violets, if desired. Do not refrigerate.

CHOCOLATE GANACHE CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line a muffin pan with paper liners.
• Cream the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, 1 at a time. Mix in the chocolate syrup and vanilla. Add the flour and coffee granules and mix until just combined. Don't overbeat, or the cupcakes will be tough.
• Scoop the batter into the muffin cups and bake for 30 minutes, or until just set in the middle. Don't overbake! Let cool thoroughly in the muffin pan.
• For the ganache, cook the heavy cream, chocolate chips, and instant coffee in the top of a double boiler over simmering water until smooth and warm, stirring occasionally.
• Dip the tops of the cupcakes into the ganache. Do not refrigerate.

GERMAN CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake pans with 14 or 15 paper liners.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar on medium-high speed for 5 minutes, until light and fluffy. Scrape down the bowl. Lower the speed to medium, add the eggs one at a time, then add the vanilla and mix well. In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, sour cream, and coffee. In a third bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. With the mixer on low, add the buttermilk and flour mixtures alternately in thirds, beginning with the buttermilk and ending with the flour. Don't overmix! Fold the batter a few times with a rubber spatula to be sure it's mixed.
• Scoop the batter into the cupcake liners. (I use a 2-inch ice cream scoop.) Bake in the center of the oven for 20 to 25 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes, remove from the pans, and allow to cool completely before frosting.
• Coconut Frosting:
• Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the evaporated milk, brown sugar, and egg yolks and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Simmer, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, for about 15 minutes, until slightly thickened. If the mixture looks a bit curdled, beat it vigorously with a whisk. Off the heat, stir in the vanilla extract, almond extract, coconut, almonds, pecans, and salt. Allow to cool for about an hour. Frost the cupcakes with a knife or small metal spatula.

CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES AND PEANUT BUTTER ICING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line cupcake pans with paper liners.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and 2 sugars on high speed until light and fluffy, approximately 5 minutes. Lower the speed to medium, add the eggs 1 at a time, then add the vanilla and mix well. In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, sour cream, and coffee. In another bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. On low speed, add the buttermilk mixture and the flour mixture alternately in thirds to the mixer bowl, beginning with the buttermilk mixture and ending with the flour mixture. Mix only until blended. Fold the batter with a rubber spatula to be sure it's completely blended.
• Divide the batter among the cupcake pans (1 rounded standard ice cream scoop per cup is the right amount). Bake in the middle of the oven for 20 to 25 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes, remove from the pans, and allow to cool completely before frosting.
• Frost each cupcake with Peanut Butter Icing and sprinkle with chopped peanuts, if desired.
• Place the confectioners' sugar, peanut butter, butter, vanilla, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix on medium-low speed until creamy, scraping down the bowl with a rubber spatula as you work. Add the cream and beat on high speed until the mixture is light and smooth.

BAREFOOT CONTESSA'S CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES AND PEANUT BUTTER ICING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Line cupcake pans with paper liners.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and 2 sugars on high speed until light and fluffy, approximately 5 minutes.
• Lower the speed to medium, add the eggs 1 at a time, then add the vanilla and mix well. In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, sour cream, and coffee.
• In another bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt.
• On low speed, add the buttermilk mixture and the flour mixture alternately in thirds to the mixer bowl, beginning with the buttermilk mixture and ending with the flour mixture.
• Mix only until blended.
• Fold the batter with a rubber spatula to be sure it's completely blended.
• Divide the batter among the cupcake pans (1 rounded standard ice cream scoop per cup is the right amount).
• Bake in the middle of the oven for 20 to 25 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes, remove from the pans, and allow to cool completely before frosting.
• Peanut Butter Icing:.
• Place the confectioners' sugar, peanut butter, butter, vanilla, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment.
• Mix on medium-low speed until creamy, scraping down the bowl with a rubber spatula as you work.
• Add the cream and beat on high speed until the mixture is light and smooth.
• Frost each cupcake with Peanut Butter Icing and sprinkle with chopped peanuts, if desired.

BAREFOOT CONTESSA'S HOT CHOCOLATE

Steps:

• Heat milk and half and half in a saucepan on medium heat to just below the simmering point.
• Remove the pan from the heat and add both types of chocolate.
• When they are melted, add the sugar, vanilla extract and espresso and whisk vigorously.
• Reheat gently and serve immedietly garnished with vanilla beans or cinnamon sticks.

BAREFOOT CONTESSA'S CARROT CAKE CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F
• Beat the sugar, oil, and vanilla together in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment.
• Add the eggs, 1 at a time.
• In another bowl, sift together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt.
• With the mixer on low speed, add 1/2 of the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients.
• Add the grated carrots, raisins, and walnuts to the remaining flour, mix well, and add to the batter.
• Mix until just combined.
• Line muffin pans with paper liners.
• Scoop the batter into 22 muffin cups until each is 3/4 full.
• Bake at 400°F for 10 minutes then reduce oven temperature to 350°F and cook for a further 35 minutes (**see note at bottom), until a toothpick comes out clean.
• Cool on a rack.
• Frosting:.
• Cream the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment.
• Add the sugar and beat until smooth.
• When the cupcakes are cool, frost them generously and serve.
• **I don't need to cook these for the entire additional 35 minutes. After I lower the temperature to 350°F; I start checking the muffins at around 15 minutes. Just keep watching them until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

BAREFOOT CONTESSA'S DOUBLE CHOCOLATE PUDDING

Steps:

• Beat the egg yolks and sugar until light yellow and thick in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, on medium-high speed.
• On low speed, add the cornstarch, cocoa powder, and salt.
• Bring the milk to a boil in a medium saucepan and, with the mixer on low, slowly pour the hot milk into the chocolate mixture.
• Combine well, then pour the mixture back into the pan.
• Cook the mixture over low heat, stirring constantly with a whisk or wooden spoon, until thickened.
• If the mixture begins to curdle, remove it from the heat and beat it vigorously with a wire whisk.
• Remove the pan from the heat, add the chocolate, butter, vanilla, and heavy cream, and mix until the chocolate and butter are melted.
• Pour into serving bowls.
• Place plastic wrap directly on the top of the pudding (to prevent a skin on top of pudding), and chill thoroughly.