Fauxstess Cupcakes

So I know it's a little late for me to be boarding the Fauxstess Cupcake train, but this is honestly the first time I've tried such a recipe.

Mr. Vittles and I went to our friends' Super Bowl party this weekend, and I was on cupcake duty. 

But I didn't want to make just any cupcakes- I wanted to make something special!  And what could be more special than a homemade version of Hostess cupcakes?

I will not lie to you though - these are a lot of work. 

And the cream filling (aka seven-minute frosting) is... terrifying.  It turned out absolutely fine, but those seven minutes were riddled with quite a bit of self-doubt (rivaled only by arm-muscle fatigue.)

However, it was all worth it in the end. 

I thought these were awesome, and everyone at the party seemed to enjoy them as well.  So if you have the free time to make these, I would definitely recommend it!

Fauxstess Cupcakes

Cake Recipe:

• 1/2 C. plus 2 T. cake flour
• 1/3 C. Dutch-process cocoa
• 1/2 t.baking powder
• 1/4 t. baking soda
• 1/8 t. salt
• 2 large eggs, separated and at room temperature
• 1/3 C. canola oil
• 1/2 C. plus 2 T. sugar
• 2 T. water

Preheat the oven to 350.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

In a large mixing bowl, beat together egg yolks, canola oil, 1/2 cup sugar and water until well combined. Add the dry ingredients and stir by hand just until combined.

In a clean medium bowl, beat egg whites at high speed until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining 2 tablespoons sugar and beat until stiff and glossy. Beat one quarter of the whites into the batter to lighten the mixture. Add remaining whites and gently fold the mixture together until no streaks remain.

Evenly divide the batter between the wells of a 12-cup muffin tin coated with nonstick spray (they will be about one-half full). Bake until the cupcakes spring back when lightly touched in the center, about 13 to 16 minutes. Remove and let the cupcakes cool slightly before turning them out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Once cupcakes are almost cooled, make cream filling.

Cream Filling (Seven Minute Frosting):

• 2 large egg whites
• 1/2 C. sugar
• 1/4 C. light corn syrup
• 2 T.s water
• 1 1/2 t. pure vanilla extract

Combine filling ingredients with a pinch of salt in a metal bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water and beat with a handheld electric mixer at high speed until frosting is thick and fluffy, 6 to 7 minutes. Remove bowl from heat and continue to beat until slightly cooled. Reserve 1/2 cup of the filling to use for piping the swirls on top of the cupcakes at the end.

Once cupcakes are completely cooled, use a sharp knife to slice circles (that end up being cone-shaped pieces) out of the center of each cupcake.  Keep in mind that the closer your sliced circle is to the outside circumference of the cupcake, the bigger the well in the center of the cupcake will be (and the more filling will go on it!).  So slice according to your preference.

Once the cone is cut out of the cupcake, set it aside and fill the well with the cream filling, almost to the top.  (I find that using a pastry bag and large tip was the neatest way to do this, but yo can use a spoon if you prefer). 

Slice off the pointy bottom part of the cake cone so that just the top layer of it remains, then place it on top of the filling.  Press down to adhere.  (How you go through the above steps is up to you - you can either do all the steps on each cupcake one at at a time, or do each step to all the cupcakes, then the next step to all, etc.)

Once all cupcakes are filled, make the ganache.

Chocolate Ganache:

• 1/4 cup cream
• 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened

In a small saucepan, heat cream until steaming. Remove from the heat, add chocolate and let stand for 5 minutes. Add the butter and stir until smooth. Transfer the frosting to a small bowl and dip the top of each cupcake to thoroughly coat.

Spoon the reserved filling into a pastry bag fitted with a very small plain tip and pipe swirls across the center of each cupcake. Refrigerate the cupcakes for 10 minutes to set the frosting.

Recipe from Beantown Baker, (via Heather Drive, Smiten Kitchen, and Culinary in the Desert)