Gooey Brain Cupcakes Recipes

BRAIN CUPCAKES

Steps:

• For the cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar for about 2 minutes, until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Beat in the egg white, scraping the sides of the bowl as you go. Add the vanilla and beat on medium-high speed for about 1 minute.
• In a separate medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder and salt. Mix the flour mixture and the milk into the egg mixture in three parts¿flour-milk-flour, taking care to scrape down the sides as you go, and incorporating each addition well. Mix until smooth.
• Divide the batter evenly between the muffin cups using an ice-cream scoop--the batter should come about three-quarters of the way up the sides. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 15 to 16 minutes.
• Let the cupcakes cool in the pans on a wire rack for 10 to 15 minutes. Then remove from the pan to the rack to cool completely.
• For the filling and decoration: Use a cupcake corer to hollow out the center of the cupcakes, saving the tops; then fill with a couple tablespoons of candy goo. Slice the top off of the plug you removed from the cupcake and place back in the hole to seal in the filling. Use a couple of drops of red food coloring and the smallest amount of yellow and black to color your frosting. Frost the tops of cupcakes with a thin layer of buttercream. Place the remaining buttercream into a pastry bag fitting with a medium round tip. Pipe squiggles around the top of the cupcakes, creating two hemispheres of the brain. Thin the red piping gel with a teaspoon of water and use a spoon to drizzle over top of the brain to get into crevices.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine all the ingredients. Whip the mixture on low speed for a while. When the sugar is incorporated, turn the mixer speed up and whip until the buttercream is smooth and looks right to you. If it's too cold, persuade it with a blowtorch if you have one. If it's too wet, add a bit more powdered sugar. If it's too stiff, add a bit more butter. Be sure to scrape the sides of the bowl once or twice to make sure everything is combined.
• Use immediately, or store in an airtight container at room temperature for 24 hours or in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Rewhip cold buttercream before using it.

GOOEY BRAIN CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F.
• Prepare cake batter as directed on package; stir in cookies. Spoon into 24 paper-lined muffin cups. Bake 20 to 25 min. or until toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool cupcakes in pans 10 min.; remove to wire racks. Cool completely.
• Beat pudding mix, milk and sugar in large bowl with whisk 2 min. Stir in COOL WHIP and food coloring; spoon into pastry bag fitted with round tip.
• Pipe pudding mixture in zigzag pattern on tops of cupcakes to resemble brains, starting in center of each cupcake before filling in sides. Keep refrigerated.

BRAIN CUPCAKES

Steps:

• One-Bowl Chocolate Cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Sift cocoa powder, flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into a large bowl. Add eggs, warm water, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla, and mix until smooth.
• Divide batter among muffin cups, filling each 2/3 full. Bake until tops spring back when touched, about 20 minutes. Transfer cupcakes to wire racks, and let cool. Cupcakes will keep, covered, for up to 3 days.
• Swiss Meringue Buttercream: Place sugar and egg whites in the heat-proof bowl of an electric mixer. Set bowl over a pan of gently simmering water, and whisk until sugar has dissolved and egg whites are hot to the touch, about 3 minutes. Test by rubbing the mixture between your fingers; it should feel completely smooth.
• Transfer bowl to mixer stand. Using the whisk attachment, beat on high speed until mixture has cooled completely and formed stiff and glossy peaks, about 10 minutes.
• Add the butter, one piece at a time, and beat until incorporated after each addition. Don't worry if the buttercream appears curdled after all the butter has been added; it will become smooth again with continued beating. Add vanilla, and beat just until combined.
• Switch to the paddle attachment, and beat on the lowest speed to eliminate any air pockets, about 5 minutes. If using buttercream within several hours, cover bowl with plastic wrap, and set aside at room temperature in a cool environment. Or transfer to an airtight container, and store in the refrigerator, up to 3 days. Before using, bring buttercream to room temperature, and beat on the lowest speed with the paddle attachment until smooth, about 5 minutes.
• To decorate, use a medium round tip (such as Ateco #12) to pipe a mound of buttercream in the center of cupcake, then outline and pipe a brain design over it.

OOEY-GOOEY STUFFED CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Line 1 (12-cup) muffin tin with 12 paper muffin-tin liners and place 4 paper muffin-tin liners inside another muffin tin. Add 2 tablespoons of water to each of the paperless muffin wells.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the remaining ingredients, adding the hot water last. Beat with an electric mixer until smooth.
• Divide the batter evenly among the paper muffin-tin liners.
• In a small bowl, beat the cream cheese with the sugar. Fold in the chocolate chips and coconut.
• Drop the cream cheese mixture into the center of the cupcakes.
• Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the cupcakes rise and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
• In a small, heavy saucepan, bring the cream to a bare simmer over low heat.
• Place the chocolate pieces in a medium bowl. Add the cream into the chocolate and let sit for 3 minutes. Add the vanilla and whisk until the chocolate melts and the sauce thickens.
• Drizzle chocolate sauce over cupcakes when serving.

UPSIDE-DOWN OOEY GOOEY CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Set oven to 350 degrees.
• Grease very well, 12 muffin cups.
• In a small saucepan, combine the 1/4 cup melted butter, brown sugar and 1 Tbsp water; simmer for 1 minute.
• Place 3-4 walnut halves in the bottom of each of prepared muffin cups.
• Evenly divide, and pour the cooked mixture over the walnuts in the muffin cups.
• In a bowl, sift together flour, baking cocoa, baking soda and salt; set aside.
• Cream 1/4 cup butter (or shortening if using).
• Gradually add 3/4 cup sugar, and continue creaming until light and fluffy.
• Beat in egg and vanilla.
• Blend in dry ingredients alternately with the 1/2 cup water (or milk if using), beginning and ending with the dry ingredients.
• Fill the muffin cups 1/2 full with the batter.
• Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the cupcakes test done.
• Remove from the muffin tins, let cool INVERTED on wire racks.
• In a small saucepan, combine the sweetened condensed milk and the chocolate; cook over very low heat until smooth and thickened, stirring constantly (about 10 minutes).
• Stir in 2 Tbsp butter; keep warm.
• Spread on the sides of cup-cakes.
• ENJOY!