IMBB 13: Cupcakes

(Pats self on back) I finally did it; I found out about IMBB before it happened, and came up with my very own, and yummy (if I do say so, myself), creation.

My entry?

Dulce De Leche-Filled Dark Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Ganache Frosting



Yeah, that's a mouthful; literally.

I spent a couple of weeks, racking my brain for a new cupcake idea. I mean, I've already made a Hostess-like cupcake, so what could I make?

Then Friday morning, as I was reading everyone else's entries for the latest Sugar High Friday (missed another one!), I thought...'Hmmm; caramel would be good. What can I do with caramel?'

I remembered Zarah of Food and Thoughts had made Dulce De Leche last month, and how very much I wanted to try it, myself.

So, I gave the caramel idea more thought: what to do with it?

I've got it! I'll fill cupcakes with caramel. Oooh; sounds good...

Anyway, here we go:

Dark Chocolate Cake
(Keep in mind, the original use for this recipe results in a three-layer cake! Feel free to cut recipe in half, or you can do as I did, and make smaller cakes with the left-over batter.)
adapted from a recipe in The Complete Guide to Country Cooking

1 c. butter, softened
3 c. packed brown sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 2/3 c. all-purpose flour
3/4 c. baking cocoa
1 Tbl. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/3 c. buttermilk
1 1/3 c. boiling water
3 oz. dark chocolate, grated
(I used Chocolove 77% extra strong dark chocolate)


Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a mixing bowl, cream butter and brown sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat on high speed until light and fluffy. Blend in vanilla. Combine flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt; add to the creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk. Bet on low until just combined. Add grated chocolate to boiling water and stir till smooth. Stir chocolate/water mix into batter until smooth. Pour into cupcake liners, and bake approximately 20 minutes (adjust to your own oven). Cool completely.

Dulce De Leche

Boil can of condensed milk (I used Magnolia, by Borden) in large pot of water for three hours. Be sure to keep can submerged, or you could end up with a caramel-coated kitchen!
Cool by placing can in a bowl and running cold water over it, until can is cool to touch.

Chocolate Ganache

Um...I don't actually have a recipe handy for this one; I had about 3/4 c. of ganache left-over in my fridge, and used that. So, employ ganache recipe of your choice.

When cupcakes are completely cooled: using a serrated knife, cut a quarter-sized circle into top of cupcake; remove. Trim excess cake from 'lid'; reserve. Remove some of the cake, creating a small crater (be careful not to cut through bottom of cupcake.)
Using spoons, fill cupcakes with dulce de leche to just under cupcake top. Replace 'lid'.

Spoon ganache over cupcake tops, just to edge. Allow to set. Pour yourself a big glass of milk, and dig in!