Fancy Ding Dongs

         Earlier this week I threw together some chocolate fudge cupcakes, then because it was late I quickly filled them with a strongly vanilla flavored whip cream, and topped them with chocolate ganache.  When I brought them in they were a hit, then during lunch my art teacher came up to me, and said, "Good cupcakes, they were like fancy ding dongs." As much as I like gas station food on road trips, I was a little worried.  So I added some more expression powder (there was already some), and switched the water for coffee. Then, I added some coffee extract to the filling and ganache.
       
Chocolate Expresso Fudge Cupcakes:

Ingredients:

• 2 cups sugar
• 1 3/4 cups All Purpose Flour
• 2 tbsp. cornstarch
• 1 cup Hershey's Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tbsp. expresso powder
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. salt
• 4 large eggs
• 3/4 cups vegetable oil
• 1 tbsp. vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cup strong coffee   

Preheat oven to 350 F. 

Mix all the dry ingredients together: sugar, flour, cornstarch, cocoa powder, baking powder, expresso powder, baking powder, and salt. 

Mix all wet ingredients together: eggs, oil, vanilla extract, and strong coffee.

Then add wet to dry gradually, beating until fully combined.

Pour into a lined cupcake pan and bake for 25-30 minutes.

Cupcakes are done, when a toothpick is inserted to cupcake comes out clean. 

Vanilla Coffee Whip Cream:

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1/2 tbsp. expresso powder
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tbsp. good quality vanilla

After you put the cupcakes in the oven, heat cream in heavy bottomed pot over low to medium heat until simmering.

Add expresso powder and stir until dissolved.

Remove from heat, pour into a container.

Place plastic wrap directly on top of cream, to prevent skin from forming.

While cream is cooling, place a medium sized bowl and beaters in freezer. Cream whips best when cold.

After cream has cooled remove plastic wrap and pour into cold bowl.

Beat until soft peaks have formed.

Add sugar and vanilla extract. Beat until stiff peaks have formed.

Refrigerate until ready to use.

Construction

 Materials:

• pastry bag 
• scissors
• small knife
• a rimmed baking sheet lined wax or parchment paper

When cupcakes are cool and filling is made begin construction.

With knife cut a deep cone shape out of the top of the cupcakes (about 1 1/2 inch diameter and about an inch deep).

Fill pastry bag with whip cream and cut the tip until it's 1/2 inch across.

Pipe empty cupcakes full of filling, until even with the top of the cupcake. 

Place cupcakes upside down on lined baking sheet and refrigerate.

Chocolate Expresso Buttercream:

Ingredients:

• 1 cup whole milk
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tbsp. cornstarch
• 1 tsp. salt
• 6 egg yolks
• 1 1/4 cups unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa

Combine milk and half of the sugar in a heavy bottomed and heat until just boiled.

While milk is heating, mix cornstarch, sugar, and salt together. Then beat in egg yolks.

Temper milk into eggs (while whisking egg mixture very fast while slowly pouring hot milk into it).

Chop butter and put in a large bowl. Pour pastry over butter and let sit for 5 minutes.

Mix together, and then add cocoa powder.

Let cool.

Construction 2:

Materials:

• Pastry bag
• Star tip
• Remove cupcakes from refrigerator, put plastic aside.

Fill pastry bag with frosting and decorate cupcakes however you want.

Place cupcakes right side up on baking sheet and refrigerate for 20 minutes.