Rocky Road Cupcakes

I know I promised you some other recipes in my last recipe post, and yes, they will be coming soon, but I had to share this recipe first. I mean - just look at this beauty!

We had a few friends over for a barbecue last month, and we had such a blast! Hot dogs, burgers, BBQ chicken, grilled vegetables... there was just SO much food. It was really a lovely evening. Apart from the chicken and a few sides, I was also in charge of dessert. And I decided I would make cupcakes. I went with one of my favorite chefs - Alton Brown - for the cupcake recipe. He didn't fail to deliver. And the frosting is one I've been dying to try for a while. And I am so glad I did! Turned out to be such a fun recipe to make. And I was really pleased with how the cupcakes looked!

At the spur of the moment, I decided I would try browning the marshmallow frosting on one of the cupcakes to see how it works out. See, I didn't have a blowtorch. (I do now! Yay!!!) So I torched mine using bamboo skewers set on fire. Lol. It was a very technical process requiring a high level of skill. Not. Haha. But when people tasted how amazing the 'toasted frosting' tasted, suddenly everyone wanted their cupcakes toasted. In the end, even dessert had that smoky barbecue flavor. It was a real hit, and a lot of fun! I wish I had got pictures of the cupcakes post-toasting. I was so busy eating, I forgot!

I know these cupcakes don't look very 'rocky' but I named it because of the chocolate-marshmallow-walnut combination.

Devil's Food Cupcakes
Cake recipe adapted from Alton Brown
Ingredients
1 cup boiling water
4 oz/112 grams cocoa powder
10.5 oz/300 grams sugar
8.5 oz/240 grams all-purpose flour
1 oz/28 grams corn starch
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup vegetable oil
4.5 oz/128 grams thick buttermilk or sour cream
2 eggs + 2 yolks (at room temperature)
Toasted walnuts (for garnish)

Method
1. Preheat the oven to 350.
2. Grease and line your cupcake tray with cupcake liners. I got 12 cupcakes from this recipe.
3. Combine the boiling water with the cocoa powder, and whisk till combined. Set aside.
4. In a large bowl, combine the sugar, flour, corn starch, baking soda, and salt. Mix well to combine.
5. In a medium bowl, combine the vegetable oil, buttermilk, eggs, and yolks. Whisk well to combine.
6. Add the cocoa mixture to the oil mixture and stir well to combine.
7. With the mixer running on low speed, pour the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients. Continue on low speed for about 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and continue beating on low speed for a further 30 seconds.
8. Spoon the batter into the prepared cupcake tin, and bake for 20-25 minutes or until the center of the cupcake springs back when pressed.
9. Allow the cupcakes to rest in the tin for 5 minutes and transfer to a cooling rack to cook completely.
10. Make sure your cupcakes have completely cooled before you frosting them.

7 Minute Frosting
Adapted from Martha Stewart
Ingredients
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup water
1 tbsp liquid glucose (or corn syrup)
3 large egg whites
Cream of tartar, a pinch
1/4 tsp vanilla extract

Method
1. In a heavy bottom saucepan, on low heat, heat the 3/4 cup sugar, water and liquid glucose. Stir until the sugar has dissolved.
2. Increase the heat and bring the mixture to a boil, and cook until the soft-ball stage (235 degrees on your sugar thermometer). Take care to brush down the sides of the pan so that the syrup doesn't crystallize.
3. While the sugar is boiling, starting to whisk your egg whites with the cream of tartar until they reach soft peaks.
4. When your syrup is at 235 degrees, while continuously beating your egg whites on a low speed, slowly pour the hot syrup in a steady stream until all the syrup is added and incorporated.
5. Increase the speed of the mixer to a medium speed and beat for approximately 7 minutes. The frosting should be in stiff peaks and completely cooled by now.
6. Beat in the vanilla.
7. Use this frosting immediately or it starts to set.

Once your cupcakes are frosted, top with mini-marshmallows (I used chocolate and vanilla mini-marshmallows) and toasted walnuts and set them aside. Then all you have to do before serving them is to slightly torch the frosting for that toasty marshmallow flavor. Mmmmmm... just divine!

A little late, I know, but - Happy New Year! I hope you liked my first recipe for 2012. I hope that this year is a great year for all of us and that we all get to know each other a little better! 

God bless you! :)