Mini Cupcake Chocolate Box Recipes

MINI CHOCOLATE GANACHE CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Make the cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line a 24-cup mini-muffin pan with paper liners. Combine the chocolate, cocoa powder and brown sugar in a large bowl; add the hot coffee and whisk until smooth. Let cool to room temperature.
• Whisk the flour, granulated sugar, salt and baking soda in a medium bowl. Whisk the egg, egg yolk, vegetable oil, buttermilk and vanilla into the melted chocolate mixture. Add the flour mixture and whisk until smooth. Spoon a scant tablespoon of batter into each mini-muffin cup. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean, about 15 minutes. Let cool a few minutes in the pan, then remove to a rack to cool completely.
• Meanwhile, make the frosting: Combine the heavy cream, corn syrup, butter and salt in a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer. Remove from the heat; add the chocolate and whisk until smooth, then let cool to room temperature. Fill a large bowl halfway with ice water. Transfer the chocolate mixture to a medium bowl; then carefully place it in the ice water and let sit, stirring every few minutes, until the frosting is thick enough to spread, about 15 minutes.
• Transfer the frosting to a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip and pipe onto the cupcakes.

MINI CUPCAKE CHOCOLATE BOX

Steps:

• Bake mini chocolate cupcakes in foil liners, then microwave store-bought frosting (milk and dark chocolate flavors) until runny and spoon the frosting on top of the cupcakes. (Place whole almonds on a few before you frost so they'll look like classic boxed chocolates.) Drizzle melted white or dark chocolate on top. Fill a heart-shaped box with the cupcakes.

STRAWBERRY-CHOCOLATE MINI CUPCAKES WITH WHITE CHOCOLATE GANACHE

Steps:

• Preheat an oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Line the cups of four 24-cup mini cupcake pans with paper liners. Sift the flour, baking soda, baking powder, all the cocoa powder, 1 package of strawberry drink mix, and salt in a mixing bowl.
• In a separate bowl, beat butter and white sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy; beat the eggs in, one at a time, adding each egg after the previous one has been completely incorporated. Beat in vanilla extract; mix in the flour-cocoa mixture in 4 additions, alternating each time with milk. Reduce mixer speed to low, and beat in the cream. Fill the cupcake cups 1/2 to 3/4 full.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove to racks, and allow the cupcakes to cool.
• Bring 2 cups of cream almost to a boil in a saucepan over medium-high heat; dissolve the 2 packets of strawberry drink mix into the cream. Stir in the white chocolate until the chunks melt and the mixture becomes melted, smooth, and shiny. Set aside and allow ganache to cool to warm temperature (about 95 degrees F/ 35 degrees C). Frost each cupcake with ganache.

MINI CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line 16 mini muffin cups with paper liners.
• Mix flour, brown sugar, white sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl. Break up clumps lightly with a whisk.
• Mix milk, egg, oil, and vanilla extract together in a separate bowl until well incorporated. Whisk into the flour mixture until well incorporated and there are no clumps. Do not overmix the batter. Fold in pudding with a spatula while scraping the bottom of the bowl. Stir in chocolate chips; batter will be runny and not very thick.
• Pour batter into the prepared cupcake cups with a Wilton® cookie scoop or measuring cup with a spout, filling each 2/3 full.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean, about 10 minutes.