Chocolate Espresso Twinkies And Hostess Style Cupcakes Recipes

ESPRESSO CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a cupcake pan with paper liners. Beat the sugar and unsalted butter until smooth and fluffy - about 2 minutes. Add the vanilla extract and eggs, and mix again until combined.
• Add the flour, baking soda, and salt, and whisk the mixture to blend everything together.
• In a separate bowl, add the hot tap water, cocoa powder, and instant espresso powder. Mix everything until the powders have dissolved. Pour this into the batter and mix.
• Finally, mix in the half and half, then distribute the batter among the cupcake liners, filling each liner 2/3 full.
• Bake the cupcakes for approximately 18 to 22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out relatively clean (with just a few crumbs). Let the cupcakes cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.
• Melt the chocolate for 30 seconds in the microwave. Stir the chocolate to get it completely smooth. Transfer this chocolate to another bowl so that it cools faster.
• In the meanwhile, beat the unsalted butter with the powdered sugar, cocoa powder and espresso powder.
• Add in the cooled melted chocolate. Mix to combine. Refrigerate the frosting to so that it can stiffen up just a bit before applying to the cupcakes.

PERFECT CHOCOLATE ESPRESSO CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Add sugar to a mixing bowl of a stand mixer. Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, salt into the sugar bowl. Whisk, and set aside.
• In a small bowl, beat the eggs, oil, milk and vanilla. Add this mixture to the sugar/flour mixture of the stand mixer bowl. Using the paddle attachment, mix the ingredients on low just until incorporated, about 30 seconds.
• With mixer off, pour in the espresso and boiling water. Mix by hand until all ingredients are incorporated. A few lumps are ok. The batter will be runny. Let batter rest for 5 minutes.
• Line muffin pan with cupcake cups. Fill each cup to 3/4 full. Use a #20 ice cream scoop to make portioning a snap! One scoop per cup. Or, fill each cup 3/4 full, about 3 Tbs. Bake cupcakes for 25 minutes (but start checking for doneness at 22 minutes using the toothpick test).
• Once out of the oven cool cupcakes, in pan, on a cooling rack for 10 minutes. Then remove from pan and let cool completely before icing.
• In a stand mixer, using a paddle attachment, cream the butter until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
• While the butter is creaming, sift together the powder sugar and cocoa powder. Once the butter is creamed, add the sifted cocoa and sugar alternatively first with all of the vanilla extract, then with 2-3 TBS of milk at a time reserving the last two TBS for consistency adjustment. The icing should be spreadable, not too stiff or loose.
• Once the cupcakes are cool, pipe the icing on the cupcakes. Store in a covered container at room temperature for up to three days.

CHOCOLATE-ESPRESSO TWINKIES AND HOSTESS-STYLE CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Place a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a canoe pan or muffin pan with cooking spray.
• In a large bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt 3 times. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar on high speed for 15 seconds, until combined. On low speed, add the eggs, one at a time, mixing until each is incorporated. Beat on high speed until light and fluffy, about 6 minutes. On the lowest speed, beat in 1/3 of the flour mixture. Beat in the buttermilk and vanilla, then another 1/3 of the flour mixture. Add the coffee, then the remaining flour.
• Fill each mold halfway with batter and bake for 15 to 17 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cake comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 30 minutes. Loosen the cakes from the edges with a sharp knife. Invert the pan and gently tap the bottom to release. Cool the cakes completely -- Twinkies top-side down and cupcakes top-side up -- on a wire rack.
• In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese, cream and vanilla until fluffy. With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the sugar and beat until combined. Add the espresso and beat until combined.
• Transfer the filling to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/4-inch tip. For the Twinkies, insert the tip at 3 points on the bottom of the cakes and fill. For the cupcakes, insert the tip at the top center and fill.
• If making Hostess-style cupcakes, prepare the frosting. Place the chocolate in a large bowl. In a small saucepan, scald the cream. Pour the cream over the chocolate. When the chocolate softens, whisk the mixture until smooth. Let the frosting cool, then whisk until fluffy. Spread over the cupcakes to cover the filling. If you choose, decorate with melted white chocolate.

DOUBLE CHOCOLATE ESPRESSO COOKIES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375°F.
• In large bowl, stir Cookies ingredients until soft dough forms. On ungreased cookie sheets, drop dough by rounded teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart.
• Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are set. Cool 2 minutes; remove from cookie sheets to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
• In medium bowl, beat Frosting ingredients with spoon until smooth and spreadable. Spread 1 teaspoon frosting on top of each cookie. Sprinkle with shaved chocolate. Let stand about 1 hour or until frosting is set. Store covered in airtight container at room temperature with waxed paper between layers.

CHOCOLATE ESPRESSO CUPS

Steps:

• Heat the milk in a medium pot over high heat until hot, but not boiling. Reduce the heat to very low and add the espresso, chocolate, sugar, and vanilla. Using a whisk, stir the mixture until the chocolate has melted. Continue to whisk the chocolate mixture until frothy every few minutes for about 8 minutes, until the chocolate has completely dissolved into the milk. Pour into mugs and serve immediately.

COPYCAT HOSTESS TWINKIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• To make the Cakes - In a large bowl, mix the first 4 ingredients. Make a well and add the next 4 ingredients. Beat until smooth with a spoon and set aside. Beat the egg whites with the cream of tartar until stiff peaks form. Pour over egg yolk batter and fold in until well beaten. Pour in an ungreased 10x14 pan. Bake 45-50 minutes. Cool in pan. Invert in pan with cups under each corner. Cool completely and run a knife around the edge. Remove and cut in half.
• To make the Filling - Combine the first 3 ingredients and beat on high for 5 minutes, gradually adding the milk and vanilla. Beat 5 more minutes on high. Spread between 2 layers. Cut to size (3x1 inch) and wrap separately.

CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES WITH CREAM FILLING

Steps:

• For the cakes: Heat oven to 350 degrees. Coat the interior of a 12-cup muffin pan with nonstick spray.
• In a medium bowl, sift together the cake flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Using a mixer, beat the egg yolks with the oil, .5 cup of the sugar and 2 tablespoons water. With the mixer at low speed, add the cake flour mixture and beat until smooth; set aside.
• In a clean bowl, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar and beat until stiff and glossy. Mix .25 of the whites into the batter, then fold in the remaining whites until no streaks remain. Divide the batter among the muffin cups, filling them halfway. Bake until risen and lightly firm, about 15 minutes. Allow to cool for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a rack to cool completely.
• For the filling: Using a mixer, beat together the butter, confectioners' sugar and Marshmallow Fluff. Add cream and beat just until smooth. Fit a pastry bag with a round .25-inch tip, and fill bag with all but .25 cup of the filling. (Put the extra .25 cup in a pastry bag fitted with a .125-inch round tip, or in a small Ziplock bag, and reserve.) Plunge the tip into the side of a cupcake, filling just until you feel the cupcake swell. Repeat with remaining cupcakes.
• For the frosting: Heat the cream just until bubbles begin to form on the edges of the pan, add the chocolate and remove from heat. Stir until melted and smooth. Add the butter, stirring to combine. Dip the top of a cupcake into the frosting, flip and set aside. Repeat with remaining cupcakes. Allow frosting to set, about 20 minutes.
• With the small pastry bag of filling, or snipping a tiny corner off the Ziplock bag, pipe a tiny squiggle across the top of each cupcake. Place in an airtight container until serving.