Valentine Project I : Cupcake LOVE

At the beginning of the month of LOVE, came the first project for valentine…
Still stick to Chockylit’s cinnamon cupcake filled with chocolate ganache recipe (it simply became my favorite recipe now).

Cupcakes
About 24 regular cupcakes
2 sticks butter

2 cups sugar

4 large eggs

2-3/4 cups all purpose flour

1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1-1/2 teaspoon ground extra fancy Vietnamese cinnamon

pinch salt

1 cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. cream butter in an electric mixer until smooth, about 1 minute

2. while beating, drizzle in sugar

3. continue to beat until fluffy, about 2 minutes

4. add one egg at a time, beating well after each, about 20 seconds

5. in a medium bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt

6. combine milk and vanilla

7. add flour mixture and milk mixture to the electric mixer, alternating and starting and ending with flour, beat well after each addition

8. scoop into lined cupcake tins with an ice cream scooper (about 3/4 full)

9. measure out about a teaspoon of the firm ganache and form it into a ball with your fingers (this is a messy step)

10. poke the ganache ball into the center of the cupcake, repeat for all cupcakes11. bake for ~20 minutes or until golden

Chocolate Filling

3/4 cup heavy cream

8 ounces best-quality semisweet chocolate, chopped

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. in a saucepan over medium heat, bring cream to a boil (around the edges of the pan)

2. place chopped chocolate in a stainless or glass bowl

3. pour heated cream over the chocolate and let sit for 30 or so seconds

4. stir, starting in the center, until the combined

5. add vanilla and stir until smooth

6. let sit at room temperature for one hour or refrigerate for a half of an hour, stirring occasionally, the ganache will get pretty firm

The heart shape on top is a mixture of powdered sugar & cocoa, then sifted upon heart stencil placed on top of each cupcakes… very simple… but cute…