Triple Chocolate Cupcakes

Or as I like to call them, Migraine Cupcakes. My body can handle about as much chocolate as Hershey Bar in one day, or a bite-sized piece of dark chocolate before I get a migraine. This happens about 75% of the time I eat chocolate. I think I can safely eat half of one of these cupcakes and escape a migraine. They are chocolate ridiculousness.

I haven't been cooking much. I've been busy/sick/lazy. It's been really hot and I've had no motivation to cook really. I made a salad this past weekend for Erin's wedding (which was spectacular) (the wedding, not the salad). The salad was made from ribbons of summer squash and zucchini, I will post the recipe at some point. I forgot to take pictures though...too much to prepare for the day of the wedding.


These cupcakes have been on hold for almost 2 months. I was going to make them back during the NHL playoffs, but I was too afraid to jinx the Bruins. Then I was going to make them when we won the Stanley Cup, but I got busy and then I was off to L.A. These little suckers are easy to make, but time consuming. They require you to have ingredients at room temp, melting lots of chocolate for ganache and frosting, and it makes a lot (about 32). The frosting is also absurdly thick, and took forever to reload my frosting gun. The cupcake recipe is great, a nice moist chocolate cupcake resembling Devil's Food Cake. The ganache is a nice bittersweet chocolate, and the frosting reminds me of the Cheesecake Factory's chocolate cheesecake. What is there not to love? Other than the possibility of an impending migraine, of course.

It's worth the risk.

Triple Chocolate Cupcakes
from Annie's Eats

Ingredients:
For the cupcakes:
¾ cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
¾ cup hot water
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1¼ tsp. coarse salt
1½ cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter
2¼ cups sugar
4 large eggs, at room temperature
4 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup sour cream, at room temperature

For the ganache filling:
8 oz. bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 cup plus 2 tbsp. heavy cream
4 tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces, at room temperature

For the frosting:
14 oz. bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
9 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
9 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
6 tbsp. unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
Pinch of salt
1 cup plus 2 tbsp. sour cream

Directions:
To make the cupcakes, preheat the oven to 350˚ F.  Line standard cupcake pans with paper liners.  In a small bowl, whisk together the cocoa powder and hot water until smooth.  In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt; set aside.

In a medium saucepan, combine the butter and the sugar over medium heat.  Heat, stirring occasionally to combine, until the butter is melted.  Remove the mixture from the heat and transfer to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment.  Beat on medium-low speed, 4-5 minutes, until the mixture is cooled.

 Mix in the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed and beating well after each addition.  Mix in the vanilla and then the cocoa mixture and beat until incorporated.  With the mixer on low speed add in the dry ingredients in two batches, alternating with the sour cream, beating just until combined.
Divide the batter between the prepared cupcake liners, filling them about ¾ of the way full.  Bake 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, rotating the pans halfway through baking.  Allow the cupcakes to cool in the pan 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the ganache, place the chopped chocolate in a medium bowl.  Heat the cream in a small saucepan and bring to a boil.  Once boiling, remove from the heat and pour over the chopped chocolate.  Let stand about 1 minute.  With a whisk, gently stir the chocolate and cream together in small circles.  When the ganache has become smooth, whisk in the butter 1 piece at a time until incorporated.  Transfer the bowl to the freezer or refrigerator to chill and thicken the ganache a bit.  Whisk every 5-10 minutes to help it cool evenly.  Once the mixture is slightly thickened and no longer runny, you are ready to fill the cupcakes.

To assemble the cupcakes, cut a cone out of the center of each cupcake with a small paring knife.  Drop a spoonful of ganache into the center of each cupcake. Smooth out to make an even surface with the cupcake.

To make the frosting, melt the chocolate in a heat-proof bowl set over a pot of simmering water.  Set aside to cool until just barely warm.  In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and butter on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.  Gradually mix in the confectioners’ sugar, cocoa powder and salt.  Beat in the melted and cooled chocolate and then the sour cream.  Continue beating until the mixture is smooth and well blended.  Frost cupcakes immediately.

I also added some sprinkles I found at Michael's yesterday for little fun touch.

Cookies & Cream and S'mores sprinkles

Et voila!

Bonus pic! Erin's wedding cake (Not made by me!)

Awwww....