Can you buy someone’s love and approval with cup cakes? Probably not, but maybe it helps? Maybe? We are desperately trying to get someone to fill our apartment before we move and someone is finally coming to look at it tomorrow morning. We are running out of time and we really need someone to fill it. I spent all evening cleaning and scrubbing. And baking these beautiful cupcakes. I really made them because I was dying to bake something and I want to take them over to some of my friends tomorrow. But do you think a counter full of pretty toasted merengue topped chocolate cupcakes will make someone want to live here? Should I offer her a cupcake? Or would that just seem desperate? I’ve heard that the smell of fresh baked bread can help impress a house viewer subconsciously. Do cupcakes have the same effect?
You could win me over with these cupcakes. They are amazing. I have made a few different chocolate cup cakes (like these, these, and these), but the actual “cake” in these is the best I have ever made. It is easy to make and is very moist. It is my new go-to chocolate cake base recipe. The recipe is from Trophy Cupcakes and little cupcake shop in Seattle (and supposedly the best in Seattle). I would love to go there someday. You can see a video of the owner of Trophy Cupcake on Martha Stewart’s website.
Ingredients:
- 2 1/4 C. plus 2 TBSP. Sugar
- 1 3/4 C. all purpose flour
- 3/4 C plus 1 TBSP. cocoa powder
- 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
- 1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- 1 tsp. salt
- 2 large eggs
- 1 C. whole milk
- 1/2 C. vegetable oil
- 2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
- 1 C. boiling water
- 1 1/2 C. graham cracker crumbs (about 20 squares)
- 1/3 C. butter, melted
- 9 oz. bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
Marshmallow Frosting
- 8 egg whites
- 2 C. sugar
- 2 tsp. vanilla
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line two cup cake tins with paper liners. In the bowl of the electric mixer with the paddle attachment, combine 2 cups and 2 Tablespoons sugar (reserving 1/4 C.), flour, cocoa, baking powder, soda, and salt on low speed.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla. Start boiling the cup of boiling water. Add the wet ingredient mixer to the dry ingredients and mix on low speed until combined. Then increase to high speed and beat for about 2 minutes. Add the boiling water and mix until combined.
3. In a separate bowl, mix together the remaining 1/4 cup sugar, graham cracker crumbs, and butter. Place 1 Tablespoon of the graham cracker crumbs into each muffin tin. Press down so the cracker crumbs are packed. The bottom of a small cup works well for this. On top of that place 2 tsp. of the chopped chocolate. Bake for about 5 minutes so the crust holds together.
4. Fill each muffin tin about 3/4 full on top of the cracker crust. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack for about 10 minutes.
5. While the muffins are baking and cooling, make the frosting. In a heat proof bowl, combine the egg whites and sugar. Place the bowl over top of a pot of simmering water. Whisk until the eggs are warm and the sugar is dissolved. This should take about 5 minutes. Beat in the bowl of an electric mixer with the whisk attachment on high for about 7 minutes until stiff, glossy peaks form. Mix in the vanilla.
6. Put the topping in a piping bag with a large star tip. Once the cupcakes are cool pipe a large spiral on top of each cup cake. Toast each frosting swirl with a culinary torch. Or, if you don’t have one like me, put the oven on broil and cook the cupcakes until the tops are lightly toasted. Watch them really closely. This only takes a couple minutes and it goes from nothing to burnt really fast. They will keep for two days in an airtight container.
Can you see the layer graham cracker on the bottom with a layer of gooey chocolate on top of that? of So delicious.
This recipe is supposed to make 24 cupcakes, but I had a lot left over. I made about 24 little mini cupcakes, too.
Recipe from Trophy Cupcake from Martha Stewart’s Website.
hope she took the apartment! and the cupcakes look super yummy!