First of all, I would like to say “happy birthday” to my mamacita. I’m so bummed that I can’t be in Portland today to celebrate her birthday and play on her brand new Wii, but I thought that I would dedicate this post to her. So, happy birthday, mama. Te quiero hasta la luna y de vuelta otra vez…
And now…
(Drumroll please…)
Welcome to the month of chocolate. That’s right. A whole month. Why? Because I was trying to come up with an idea for the Mystery Box Challenge for this month, and I had too many. So I’m making them all.
Get excited.
These are cupcakes based on an ice cream flavor that I have never really been fond of: spumoni. Which is odd, considering that I love chocolate, I love cherries, and I love pistachio. So why I have never tried this flavor combo before is beyond me.
But I’m trying it now.
These cupcakes pack a whole lot of awesome into just a few bites. Chocolate cake, pistachio filling, and cherry frosting. Can you say “holy wow”?
These cupcakes are labor-intensive, but are totally worth the wait. Trust me. I can tell you (and so can half of the people on my floor) that these cupcakes are worth tasting. I believe my RA’s exact words were, “oh my gosh… yum… oh yum… mmmmmm….. yummmm… OH MY GOSH THESE ARE SO GOOD….. yummm…. uhmmm… mmmmm….”
I think you get the picture.
You will have to forgive me for using this chocolate cupcake recipe over and over and over and over again in my blog, but it is sooo yummy and so easy to adapt to add in other flavors. So you’ll just have to suck it up, because I’m using it again.
CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES (adapted from The Joy of Vegan Baking)
- 1 1/2 c. AP flour
- 3/4 c. sugar
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 2 – 3 tsp. instant coffee
- 1/3 c. cocoa powder
- 1/3 c. ground pistachios (food processor works great for this)
- 1/3 c. vegetable/canola oil
- 1 c. non dairy milk
- 1 tbsp. vinegar
- 2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1 tsp. almond extract
Preheat oven to 350°F and prepare your cupcake tin. In a large bowl, combine your flour, sugar, cocoa powder, coffee, baking soda, and salt. In a smaller bowl, combine your wet ingredients. Add the wet to the dry, and mix just until combined. Scoop into your cupcake tin and bake for about 20 – 25 minutes (trust me, it really does need that much time).
PISTACHIO FILLING
- 2/3 – 1 c. ground pistachios
- 6 tbsp. non dairy margarine
- 2/3 c. powdered sugar
- 1 tsp. vanilla
Beat all ingredients together in a small bowl until smooth.
CHERRY SYRUP
- 12 oz. frozen cherries
- 1/4 c. water
- 3 tbsp. sugar
Pulse the cherries in your food processor. Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and cook over medium-low heat until it thickens up. I kept some of the cherry chunks in my frosting, because it gives it flavor, and it’s a lot easier than having to strain them out.
CHERRY BUTTERCREAM FROSTING
- 1 1/2 sticks non dairy margarine
- 4 c. powdered sugar
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- Enough cherry syrup to bring the frosting together
Cream the butter and sugar with an electric mixer. Add the vanilla and cherry syrup just until the frosting turns pink and you can taste the cherry in the frosting.
BUILDING THE CUPCAKE
Using a cupcake corer or spoon or a knife, make a hole in the middle of your cupcake. Scoop in your pistachio filling (I used my handy-dandy mini cookie scoop that I always rave about). Top off with the cherry frosting. You can also bake your cupcakes in ice cream cones (like I did) and serve them that way.
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PS, this is my entry for Mystery Box Cupcake.
Here’s the rules. And the sponsors…
Vote for me starting on the 21st here.
The winner of February’s Mystery Box Cupcake Challenge will receive prizes from:
- Angela’s Images; a selection of handmade crafts
- Bake It Pretty; a $5 electronic gift card
- Beanilla; 3 Indian, 3 Tahitian & 3 Tonga vanilla beans
- Hello Hanna; a pack of Sweet Stands cupcake stands
- Miss Kitty Creations; a handmade cupcake charm of your choice
- Simply Caked; 600 brown greaseproof cupcake liners
- Sweet Cuppin Cakes; a prize pack worth $25
- Tundra Books; a selection 3 very sweet children’s books
Thank you to all our prize sponsors!
