Happy Heart Cupcakes

I love it when I make things that look familiar but taste delicious
it is not so difficult when making mock store-bought treats for these hostess-like cupcakes. I use my tried and true devil’s food cake recipe for this; which I also used for my {copycat} ding dongs and instead of loopdy loops I made loopdy-hearts from tinted royal icing .

devil’s food cake

3 oz bittersweet chocolate chopped
1 1/2 cups hot coffee or hot water or mixture of the two (i use espresso with water)
3 cups granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups cocoa powder
2 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 1/4 tsp kosher salt
3 extra large eggs
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup sour cream + 1/2 cup milk or 1 1/2 cups buttermilk 
1 tsp vanilla

Melt bittersweet chocolate in hot water/coffee.  Sift dry ingredients together (including sugar). Mix together the chocolate/coffee mixture, milk, sour cream, and vanilla. In a mixer beat the eggs with the oil until thickened and doubled in volume (about 3-5 minutes).  Add the dry and wet ingredients, in an alternating pattern, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients.  Mix until just incorporated.

Prepare your mini-muffin tins by liberally spraying with baking spray. Bake in a preheated 350F oven. These will bake rather quickly, check after 5 minutes.  They are done when the tester comes out clean and the top springs back when lightly touched

creamy fluffy filling

1 cup milk
5 Tbs flour
1 1/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup lard/shortening–room temperature
1/2 cup unsalted butter–room temperature
1/2 tsp vanilla
pinch
salt
Over low heat, cook milk and flour in a saucepan until it makes a thick paste. Use a whisk to break up lumps. Let cool.  In mixer using whisk attachment, beat shortening, butter, sugar, salt and vanilla. Add in cooled flour paste and whip until light and fluffy.  Add more sugar if you want a sweeter taste.

ganache

1/2 lb bittersweet chocolate–
1/2 cup cream
1 Tbs granulated sugar
1 Tbs corn syrup
2 Tbs butter

Heat cream with sugar and corn syrup over medium heat.  Once cream begins to simmer and sugar is dissolved, pour over chocolate and butter. Let chocolate melt and then whisk together until it is thick and shiny.

For Royal Icing, I use Martha Stewart’s recipe. You can find a link to her recipe HERE