Chocolate Crème-Filled Cupcakes

These decadent cupcakes from San Diego food blogger Jackie Bruchez (The Seaside Baker) will have your family jumping for joy! Filled with vanilla bean crème and topped with rich chocolate ganache, what’s not to love? A delicious treat for any time of year, but a few heart sprinkles make these perfect for Valentine’s Day. Enjoy this recipe—and find many more at www.theseasidebaker.com. 

Make 18–20 cupcakes

INGREDIENTS

Cupcakes

1¾ cups all-purpose flour
2 cups granulated white sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened Special Dark cocoa powder (or regular cocoa powder)
1½ teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
1 cup strong coffee

Filling

1 stick butter
1/2 cup vegetable shortening (Crisco)
4 cups powdered sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup whole milk
1½ teaspoons vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract

Ganache

1 cup heavy cream
3 Tbsp. corn syrup
8 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two muffin pans with cupcake liners.
2. In the bowl of your mixer, combine all dry ingredients.
3. Add eggs, buttermilk, melted butter and vanilla and mix on low until combined.
4. With a wooden spoon, stir in coffee. Batter will be runny.
5. Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full and bake for 18-20 minutes or until a knife is inserted and comes out clean.
6. Cool completely.
7. To make the filling, beat butter, shortening, powdered sugar and salt.
8. Gradually add in milk and vanilla and beat until light and fluffy.
9. Fill a pastry bag with a small tip (or use a plastic baggie with a corner snipped off). Push tip through to the bottom of paper liner to fill each cupcake.
10. To make the ganache, place the chocolate in a medium sized bowl and set aside.
11. Heat the cream and corn syrup over medium heat; then pour it over the top of the chocolate chips.
12. Whisk together until melted, smooth and glossy. Allow to cool slightly.
13. Spoon ganache so that it completely coats each cupcake, or dip to coat.
14. Allow cupcakes to set before serving.
15. Decorate with heart sprinkles or melted white chocolate swirls.

Recipe and photo printed with permission by Jackie Bruchez, The Seaside Baker.

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