A dark, rich, moist chocolate cupcake filled with luscious pastry cream and topped with whipped chocolate ganache. I dressed them up for St. Patrick’s Day, but these decadent cupcakes would be perfect any time of year.
I’ve been dreaming up filled cupcake recipes ever since I bought a cupcake corer/plunger. I thought since St. Patrick’s Day is this Sunday, now was the perfect time for a Boston Cream Cupcake.
For the base of my cupcake I wanted to find the perfect chocolate cupcake recipe, and I found it thanks to Averie, Averie Cooks, and her Friday Things. Averie linked to Laura’s post a Vanilla Cupcake Comparison on Laura’s Sweet Spot, which lead me to her Chocolate Cupcake Comparison and the winner, the Cook’s Illustrated Ultimate Chocolate Cupcake Recipe which is slightly adapted from The New Best Recipe cookbook by Cooks Illustrated.
The cupcake uses two kinds of chocolate for a deep chocolate flavor. The original recipe used chopped bittersweet chocolate, but I used semisweet. I’m not a coffee drinker, so I also substitute boiling water for the hot coffee. The recipe only makes 12 cupcakes, which I think is the perfect amount.
Ingredients
- 3 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped
- 1/3 cup Dutch-processed cocoa
- 3/4 cup boiling water
- 3/4 cup bread flour
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar*
- 1/2 teaspoon table salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 6 tablespoons vegetable oil*
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons white vinegar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/3 cups milk
- 2 egg yolks, beaten
- 1 tablespoons butter
- 1 teaspoons vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup whipping cream
- 6 oz. semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped
- 3/4 cup cream
Directions
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350°F. Line standard-size muffin pan with baking-cup liners. Place chocolate and cocoa in medium bowl. Pour boiling water over mixture and whisk until smooth. Set in refrigerator to cool completely, about 20 minutes.
- Whisk flour, sugar, salt, and baking soda together in medium bowl; set aside. Whisk oil, eggs, vinegar, and vanilla into cooled chocolate-cocoa mixture until smooth. Add flour mixture and whisk until smooth.
- Divide batter evenly among muffin pan cups. Bake until cupcakes are set and just firm to touch, 17 to 19 minutes. Cool cupcakes in muffin pan on wire rack until cool enough to handle, about 10 minutes. Carefully lift each cupcake from muffin pan and set on wire rack. Cool to room temperature before frosting, about 1 hour.
- In a medium saucepan combine the sugar, flour and salt. Gradually whisk in milk. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture starts to boil. Cook for 2 minutes until thickened.
- Remove from stove. Whisk 1/4 cup of the hot mixture into the beaten egg yolks, and immediately add egg yolk mixture to the hot mixture in the saucepan. Cook for 2 more minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and add butter and vanilla. Transfer pudding mixture to a medium bowl. Cover with plastic; refrigerate until well chilled, about 1 hour or overnight.
- When pudding is chilled, whip cream to form soft peaks and gentle fold in to pudding. Keep covered and chilled until ready to use.
- Place half of the chocolate in a small mixing bowl. Heat heavy cream on medium high heat until it comes to a boil. Remove from heat and immediately pour cream over chocolate and stir until chocolate is completely melted. Add remain chocolate and stir until chocolate is completely melted.
- Let ganache cool to room temperature, stirring often, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Beat it with a mixer on medium-high speed until thick and fluffy, 2 to 4 minutes.
Notes
Adapted from Cooks Illustrated Ultimate Chocolate Cupcake.
*I made the following high altitude adjustments: 2/3 cups granulated sugar and 1/3 cup + 2 tablespoons vegetable oil.
More cupcake recipes you might like:
Lemon Shamrock Cupcakes, Barbara Bakes
Thin Mint Cupcakes for St. Patrick’s Day, Zoe Bakes
Irish Coffee Cupcakes, Tracey’s Culinary Adventrues
Mocha Mint Cupcakes, Created by Diane
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I love to bake, especially cookies, cakes, and pies. I’ll post my adventures in the kitchen, my favorite new recipes, as well as our family favorites.
I didn’t know there was a cupcake corer, that is awesome!!! Your cupcakes sound and look beautiful! Hugs, Terra
So glad that link helped you! Yay for that! And I’ve often wondered what to do about choc cupcakes b/c they tend to be so dry and can be so finicky but leave it to CI to have the winning recipe! Good to know -not surprising though. You just nailed these, Barbara. So pretty looking and no doubt taste delish!
Oh wow, these are amazing. They look so good!
These are just so fabulous!! Yum!
Barbara, these turned out perfect! They look amazing and I love those cupcake wrappers. Happy St. Patrick’s Day!!
Pretty and extremely tempting!
Cheers,
Rosa
So fun! These look great
Boston Cream is one of my favorites….I’ve been dying to try to make filled cupcakes for a long time too!
It’s always such a fun surprise to bite into a cupcake and find a creamy filling inside. Fun cupcakes, Barbara!
Cute cupcakes and very decadent!
perfect thing for St. Paddy’s Day. My son loves Boston Cream Pie but I don’t make it often because it is a lot of work, these look so simple and perfect!
This looks like the perfect cupcake. Love the filling and the wonderful Ganache topping. Yummy.
Yummmmmmmm…..coming from the Boston area-these are singing my song. Cupcakes are great for portion control too.
We love Boston Cream Pie-I’m sure these cupcakes will be a hit.
Thank you Barbara.
Carol
Je vais justement avoir besoin de recettes de ce type !! si je trouve tous les ingrédients
je fais
Voilà qui est bien tentant
Je te souhaite une agréable soirée
Valérie
Those look so cute, Barbara! Perfect for St, Patrick’s Day.
Never have seen the core/plunger. What a super idea and less messier than my currrent method.
These cupcakes are so pretty and perfect for the St. Patrick’s Day celebration.
This would be my favorite cupcake!
I LOVE this recipe!! Still reigns as my favorite chocolate cupcake with moisture and deep chocolate flavor : )
Thanks Laura for stopping by and sharing the chocolate cupcake recipe.
Yummmmm.
Just gained another pound.
Thanks! Xx
I have always wanted to make boston cream cupcakes. This looks pin worthy to me.
Oh yum, your cupcakes sound so delicious!