Halloween Series...Day 13 Chocolate Cupcakes

Josie of Daydreamer Desserts

I "met" Josie through the TLC Cake Crew. When I went over her blog I found the most gorgeous, delicious and modern looking desserts along with incredible yummy recipes. She is an official contestant of Project Food Blog ( please vote for her) and just a few days ago she threw a lovely dinner party to celebrate her son’s birthday as part of one of their challenges. 
Josie participated in the  FoodBuzz & Electrolux Host a “Tweet-Up” to help raise money for the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund  and Stir it up for Haiti.
She has bean feature onCake Spy Bakers Dozen: A batch of recipes from fellow FoodBuzz Kelly Ripa Event Attendees! , Tasty Kitchen , “Who we Love” Walnut Lovers, etc

I am so excited to have her here sharing this delicious cupcakes!

Hi, I'm Josie from Daydreamer Desserts. I was thrilled when Kathia asked me to participate in her 28 days of Sweet Halloween Ideas.
Today I'm going to be sharing with you a delicious recipe for a chocolate cake, one that I just made for my son's 12th birthday. When I asked him what type of cake he wanted for his birthday, he immediately said "Chocolate", then there was a "but"... uh oh... here we go, what's it going to be this time?
Turns out all he wanted the cake to be in the theme of Halloween, a chocolate cake with orange frosting. No problem!
Let me just tell you this cake turned out to be moist and delicious, and the white chocolate ganache is just fabulous! Because I had so much going on the day of his birthday, I decided to make it again, this time in the form of a cupcake so I could take some pretty pictures for you, I hope you enjoy it!

Chocolate Cupcakes

adapted from Deep Dark Chocolate by Sara Perry
Note: Make sure you make the ganache ahead of time, at least 8 hours so you give it enough time to chill before decorating your cake with it.


White Chocolate Ganache

1 cup heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons cacao nibs, chopped into bits
pinch of salt
6 ounces white chocolate chips
1/4 teaspoon orange wilton concentrated icing gel


Pour heavy cream cacao nibs and salt in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Remove from heat, cover and let the cacao nibs steep in the heavy cream for 30 minutes.
Strain the the cream through a sieve and discard the nibs. Place white chocolate chips in a heatproof bowl. Reheat the cream and pour over the white chocolate chips, stir until all chips have melted. Stir in the orange gel coloring cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours.


Chocolate Cake

2 cups cake flour
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
2 tablespoons dutch-process cocoa powder
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon instant espresso powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 2/3 cups granulated sugar
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/3 cups water


Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Line 2 muffin pans with cupcake liners.
In a medium bowl whisk together flour, cocoa powders, espresso powder, salt, and baking soda.
In a stand mixer cream together the butter and sugar until light a fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time just until combined, scrape down the sides of the bowl if necessary. Beat in vanilla, then add the dry ingredients and water in alternating increments. Continue beating until you have a smooth and uniform batter.

Fill cupcake liners 2/3 of the way up and bake for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick stuck in the center comes out clean.

Allow cupcakes to cool completely before frosting them with the ganache.
When ready to decorate the cupcakes whip the ganache fluff it up then either pipe onto the cupcakes or apply the ganache with an off-set spatula.

Chocolate Shapes

inspired from the Betty Crocker Christmas Cookbook

6 ounces semisweet chocolate chips


On a sheet of parchment paper trace your favorite Halloween theme shaped cookie cutters. Place the parchment paper on a cookie sheet and place a toothpick or a metal pick on the lower center of each outlined shape.

Place the chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave in 30 second intervals at 50% power, stirring in between intervals until melted.
Pour melted chocolate into a pastry bag fitted with an Ateco tip #6. Carefully pipe the chocolate around your tracing or outline and over the toothpick. If you like you can also fill in the shape with squiggles. Place the cookie sheet in the refrigerator until chocolate has hardened.

Carefully lift your shapes off the paper holding them from the toothpick.

Then slide the toothpick away from the chocolate shape and place over your cupcakes.