Chili Chocolate Cherry Bombs
I like to make unusual cupcakes and this is a variation of one of my more popular ones. It is a Chili Chocolate cupcake with a chocolate cream filling...with a Marachino Cherry hiding in the center and topped with a vanilla cherry frosting.
Usually I make my cupcakes from scratch but everyone seems to prefer this one made from a box. Hey, easier for me.
These are really easy and I hope you will make them for your friends and family. They will be amazed and impressed and only you will know just how easy they were to whip up.
Here is the recipe.:
Chili Chocolate Cupcakes:
1 Box Devils Food Cake Mix with pudding in the mix
1 C. Milk
1 C. Sour Cream
3 Large Eggs
1/2 t. Almond Extract
1 1/2 t. Vanilla Extract
2 or more Large Chipotle Chilies - well chopped (I use the ones canned with Adobo Sauce)
1 t. Adobo Sauce (from the canned chilies)
3.5oz Bar Dark Chocolate - grated
1. Preheat the oven to 375 (yes...375) and line 24 muffin cups with paper liners.
2. Place first 6 ingredients in a large bowl and mix on low for 1 minute. A stand mixer is great if you have one...if not a hand mixer is fine. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and add remaining ingredients. Mix on medium for 2 minutes. You can try the batter to see if you want to add more chipotles. It should have a spicy feel on your tongue. You can always add more as the heat will calm down somewhat when baked.
3. Spoon the batter into the lined muffin cups...filling about 2/3 full. You should get between 22 & 24 cupcakes. I use a #16 scoop which holds 1/4C. If using a scoop like this the scoop should be almost but not quite full. If you don't have a scoop I recommend you get one. It makes everything so much easier.
4. IMPORTANT...As soon as you place the cupcake pans in the oven turn the temperature down to 350. Starting at the higher temp helps create a nice dome. Bake cupcakes about 20-25 minutes. They should spring back when lightly pressed...or you can use the toothpick test, which when inserted into the center should come out clean. I actually have a cake tester...whatever you have will be great.
5. When cool cupcakes in the pan, on a wire rack, for about 10 minutes...then remove them from the pans and cool completely on the wire rack.
Extra Ingredient you will need: Marachino Cherries...with the stems You will need 48 of them
Chocolate Cream Filling:
1-6oz bag of Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips
1 Stick Butter - at room temperature
1-7.5oz jar Fluff (marshmallow cream for those who don't have Fluff)
1/2 t. Vanilla extract
1 1/2 C. Confectioners Sugar
1. Place the chocolate chips in a glass bowl and microwave for 50 seconds. Remove the bowl and stir the chips until they are melted and smooth.
2. Add the butter, Fluff and vanilla to the chocolate. Beat on low until well combined...about 1 minute . Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the sugar. Beat on low to incorporate and then increase to high for about a minute...or until light and fluffy. You will have more than enough to fill the cupcakes but there are other things to make that you can use this for.
The Best Frosting You Will Ever Taste:
Let me just say that this is the most versitile frosting I have ever made. It's not too sweet and is very smooth and creamy yet light. I use it as a base for almost all of my frostings...I've added lemon curd to it for lemon cupcakes, cocoa powder for chocolate, strawberry jelly, espresso powder, etc. The possibilities are endless. I've even substituted some of the butter with cream cheese for an incredible cream cheese frosting.
2 C. Milk or Half & Half
12 T. All Purpose Flour
1 1/2 C. Butter
1 C. Sugar (regular granulated sugar...NOT powdered sugar)
2 t. Syrup from Marachino Cherries..(for a stronger cherry flavor opt for cherry extract or flavoring and reduce to 1t. or to taste)
1. In a medium sauce pan whish together milk or cream and sugar. Heat on medium, whisking constantly, until sugar is dissolved. Slowly add the flour, whisk very well...being sure to remove any and all lumps. Keep whisking until the mixture become the consistancy of paste...it takes just a few minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool to room temperature. (Actually it is best to make this first and let it cool while you are making the cupcakes and filling.)
2. Transfer paste to a mixer bowl and start beater on medium. Add butter about a tablespoon at a time until well incorporated. The frosting will start to lighten up and become fluffy as the process goes on. Add cherry syrup and keep beating until frosting is light and fluffy.
OK...now the fun begins. Assembly:
1. Using a paring knife, apple corer or a juice extractor remove the middle of each cupcake. Keep the extra cake for another use.
2. Using a small spoon or a pastry bag add about a teaspoon of the chocolate filling to the hole in each cupcake. This is just like a bed for the marachino cherries to rest on.
3. Place a marachino cherry in the center of each cupcake and then fill the hole up to the top with the chocolate cream filling.
4. If you are using a pastry bag to apply the frosting get it ready and use whatever tip you like. I have a really big open star tip but you can use whatever you want...just the bag, with no tip at all, is also great. Whatever you are going to use just frost each cupcake with the frosting.
5. Place a marachino cherry on top of each cupcake to decorate. If you have extra chocolate you can grate it and dust the tops or use cocoa powder if you have it. McCormick makes a great Cocoa Chili powder which would be perfect for that extra bite!!
OK....here is what you can do with the middle of the cupcakes that you saved...and the extra chocolate cream filling. Crumble up the cake and add enough filling to the crumbs to make a thick paste. Roll them into balls, about the size of a walnut, and place them on a plate or tray depending on how many you have...if you have left over cherries you can put one in the middle of each ball if you would like. Place them in the refrigerator for about an hour or two...they will get nice and firm. Melt some chocolate in the microwave and dip the cake balls in it. Place on wax paper and back into the refrigerator to firm up. If you don't have any extra chocolate to melt you can just put some confectioners sugar or cocoa powder (add a shake or 2 of red pepper powder) in a bag and toss in the chilled cake balls. Toss to coat and voila!! Cake Balls....
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