Tessa's Birthday Cupcakes

So all of my kids LOVE getting their birthday cakes. They usually tell me a theme they want, and then they let me surprise them with the cake. I do not decorate cakes. So I always order them.

Tessa surprised me this year though. She asked me to make her cupcakes. Not buy them. She requested chocolate cake, with chocolate frosting. I added the white filling.

They are SO GOOD! And this recipe makes about 40 cupcakes.

CUPCAKE BATTER:
1 cup softened butter
3 cups packed brown sugar
4 eggs
3 tsp vanilla extract
3 cups flour
3/4 cup dark chocolate cocoa
3 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 cups strongly brewed coffee, cool
1 1/3 cups sour cream

1. Cream together butter and brown sugar and vanilla.

2. Add in eggs, one at a time.

3. Stir in vanilla.

4. In a separate bowl combine flour, cocoa, and baking soda.

5. Add dry ingredients to creamed ingredients alternately with coffee and sour cream.

6. Scoop into a muffin pan lined with cupcake papers, mostly full.

7. Bake at 350 for about 18 to 20 minutes or until set.

8. Cool and fill with Creamy Filling.

CREAMY CUPCAKE FILLING:
3 heaping Tbsp of flour
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup shortening
2 Tbsp vanilla extract
1 3/4 cup granulated sugar

1. In a saucepan, whisk together flour and milk.

2. Cook over medium heat until thickened.

3. Remove from heat and cool completely.

4. Transfer flour/milk mixture to large mixing bowl.

5. Cream together with it the butter, shortening, and vanilla.

6. This is where it gets to be time comsuming: You have to add the sugar, 1 Tbsp at a time, mixing on high, between each addition. If you do not mix long enough, your icing will have a gritty sugary consistency. If you do mix long enough, your icing will be very fluffy and creamy.

7. To fill cupcakes, I use a the Pampered Chef Easy Accent Decorator. You could cut a hole out of the top of the cupcake, and pipe it in a Ziploc bag. When piping in the filling, only apply pressure until the top of the cupcake begins to crack.
8. Frost!

WHIPPED GANACHE FROSTING:
1 1/2 cups butter
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
4 cups powdered sugar

1. In a saucepan, melt together the butter and chocolate chips.

2. Whisk in heavy cream.

3. Refrigerate for at least an hour, or until firm and completely cooled.

4. Transfer to a mixing bowl, and whip on high, slowly adding in the powdered sugar.

5. Continue to mix until light and fluffy.

6. Pipe frosting on top of cupcakes.