Friday, December 6, 2013

German Chocolate Cupcakes

German Chocolate Cupcakes

These are the best cupcakes I've made all week (Wednesday was Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Frosting AND Cream Cheese Frosting and Thursday was Carrot Cake Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting).

This has a few steps but it's worth it!

King Arthur Flour Gluten Free Chocolate Cake Mix.

Follow the directions. It's easy and you end up with 24 cupcakes that the gluten folks won't be able to tell are gluten free.

Halfway (11 minutes) through the baking time (22 minutes total works in my oven) turn the cupcake tins around 180 degrees so they bake evenly. Once the cupcakes come out of the oven, let them cool for 10 minutes in the pan and then take them out and put them on a cooling rack.

Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

Pamela's Dark Chocolate Frosting Mix and make Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting:

1 bag of frosting mix (which is just sugar, cocoa, vanilla powder)
2 T butter, room temperature
8 oz block of cream cheese, softened
A few tablespoons of water in a cup nearby

Allow butter and cream cheese to soften. Mix together with a hand or stand mixer on medium speed. Add the frosting mix and a bit of water. Continue to add water until the frosting is smooth and you have the right consistency. I think a little stiffer is better, that way when it's piped onto the cupcake it holds its shape.

Using whatever tip you like create a pretty barrier for the coconut pecan frosting by piping the chocolate cream cheese frosting around the edge of the cupcake.

Coconut Pecan Frosting

1 cup evaporated milk (not skim)
4 egg yolks
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup salted butter (2 sticks)
1 t vanilla
2 cups sweetened shredded coconut
1.5 cups chopped pecans (I bought chopped but chopped them a little finer)

In a medium pan melt the butter and then add the evaporated milk and brown sugar. Whisk the egg yolks in a small bowl and then temper them with a little of the butter mixture.

Tempering: Once the egg yolks are whisked take a tablespoon of the hot butter mixture and whisk quickly into the eggs. Repeat this process with 8 tablespoons of hot butter mixture and then pour the eggs into the butter mix. This keeps you from having to strain this mixture through a fine mesh strainer (at best) or from having scrambled eggs (at worst).

Cook mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly until thickened--anywhere between 5 and 15 minutes. Mixture should almost come to a boil and when you swipe a rubber spatula along the bottom of the pan you should see the pan for a second.

Remove from stove and stir in vanilla. Stir in coconut and pecans. Allow frosting to come to room temperature.

Scoop 1-2 tablespoons onto tops of cupcakes.

Sprinkle a little coarsely ground salt on top and you're done!

Or just call me and I'll make you some :-)

What to do with leftover coconut pecan frosting? Ha, as if there's an option!

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