Chocolate Red Wine Cupcakes With Mascarpone Icing Recipes

RED WINE AND CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Place cocoa and chocolate in a small bowl; whisk in boiling water until chocolate is melted and mixture is blended., In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add 1 egg at a time, beating well after each addition. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; add to the creamed mixture alternately with wine and chocolate mixture beating well after each addition. Fill paper-lined muffin cups three-fourths full., Bake at 350° for 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely., In a small bowl, beat mascarpone cheese, confectioners' sugar and vanilla extract until creamy. Frost cupcakes. Store in the refrigerator.

CHOCOLATE RED-WINE CUPCAKES WITH MASCARPONE ICING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F Line 2 muffin pans with muffin cups or coat with nonstick spray.
• In a medium, heatproof bowl, combine cocoa powder with chocolate pieces. Whisk in the boiling water until chocolate is melted and mixture is combined.
• In a large bowl, cream butter and granulated sugar together. Beat in the eggs one at a time, until fully blended. Sift in flour, baking powder, and salt, and mix until just combined.
• Alternating, add the chocolate mixture and wine in batches, mixing well between each addition. Repeat this until batter is smooth. Divide mixture among muffin cups, filling each about 3/4 of the way full.
• Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Let cool in the pan.
• Lightly beat the mascarpone, then add the confectioners' sugar and beat until creamy. Remove the cooled cupcakes from the pan, spread each with icing, and top with a grape half, if desired.

CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES WITH CHOCOLATE MASCARPONE FILLING AND ZINFANDEL BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• For the Swiss meringue buttercream: In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, thoroughly whisk together the sugar and egg whites. Set the bowl over a pan of boiling water. Whisking constantly, heat to 145 to 150 degrees F. Return the mixing bowl to the stand and whisk until stiff and the bottom of the bowl comes to room temperature, about 8 minutes.
• Change to the paddle attachment and turn the mixer to low speed. Add the butter, a few cubes at a time, until incorporated. Mix at medium speed until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and mix until combined. Use 4 cups for the flavored buttercreams in this recipe, and reserve the remaining 4 cups for another use.
• For the chocolate mascarpone buttercream: Fold the melted and cooled chocolate and the mascarpone cheese into 2 cups of the Swiss meringue buttercream.
• For the Zinfandel buttercream: Blend the Zinfandel wine into 2 cups of the Swiss meringue buttercream. Spoon the mixture into a pastry bag fitted with a large straight pastry tip.
• For the cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line standard cupcake pans with 27 cupcake liners.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the sugar, buttermilk, and oil. Mix well. Add the eggs and vanilla, mixing on low speed until completely mixed together. Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and sea salt into a separate bowl and whisk together. In a liquid measuring cup, mix the water with the instant coffee, dissolving the coffee powder completely. Add 1/2 the dry ingredients to the buttermilk mixture just until incorporated. Mix in the water and coffee mixture. Add the rest of the dry ingredients, mixing until combined, and then beat for 2 minutes.
• Fill the cupcake liners 3/4 full and bake until golden brown, 17 to 20 minutes. Cool the cupcakes completely.
• For the chocolate frosting: Heat the cream until hot but do not boil. Remove from the heat and add the chocolate. Stir until completely melted and smooth. Set aside to cool. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and salt until smooth. Add 1/2 the powdered sugar, mixing until smooth. Add the chocolate and the remaining powdered sugar and mix until creamy. Adjust to desired spreading consistency with additional cream or powdered sugar, if needed. Place in a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip.
• To assemble: Remove a piece from the center of each cupcake and fill the cupcake with about 1 tablespoon chocolate mascarpone Swiss buttercream. Pipe a generous amount of chocolate frosting onto the top of the cupcake. Pipe a dollop of Zinfandel Swiss meringue buttercream on top of the chocolate frosting. Top with half a strawberry and drizzle with melted chocolate.