This is a cupcake that’s moist, a bit tart and sweet at the same time.  When all three layers go into your mouth at the same time, the combination of cake, curd and icing will amaze you.  Ohhhhhh, did I not say it’s got coffee in it?  There is something about the taste of chocolate with coffee!

I’m not, nor will I ever be a fan of drinking a cup a java.  I really don’t know why I’m not a fan of coffee, but I love love love love it in recipes!!  I love smelling coffee, the look of hot coffee in a cup all rich and dark and full of flavor, but when I take that sip of coffee, it is nothing like the appearance or smell of coffee.  Now, I never added sugar or cream to coffee for years thinking that would not help something that tasted that bad….so, years and years went by before trying coffee again.

One day someone asked me if I had ever tasted coffee with sugar and cream and I confessed that I had not.  That day this co-worker went to the coffee shop and brought me back a cup of coffee “all fixed up”! lol  Anyway, I tasted it and it actually tasted great!!  After work I proudly bought myself coffee, the kind you brew.  The next morning I made a pot of coffee and fixed it all up with sugar and creamer and went to work.  I began announcing to my co-workers that I now love coffee!!  I mean, it took me almost 60 years after-all!! lol

That day I got so sick at work I could barely make it to the bathroom to unload what my stomach contents could not longer hold.  In fact I got so sick that day I had to leave work.  I was sick the entire day making many trips tot he bathroom, again to expel the contents of my stomach.

Now, whenever I think of trying coffee again, I think of that day and how sick I was and I’ve not been able to try it again.  I know the sickness must have been a stomach virus, but because I had coffee only a few hours before, I associate coffee with how sick I was that day and it takes any desire for coffee away………………….BUT, I can have it all I want in thins I bake!  I know, strange, but fact!

Anyway, back to the cupcake recipe………..AMAZING, NEED I SAY MORE!

 

 

Happy Cupcake Baking!

See the little specks of vanilla bean in the icing

Ingredients:

Dark Chocolate Cupcake

1/2 cup strong brewed coffee

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 cup unsalted butter

1/2 cup 100% Edel-Kakao extra brut chocolate cocoa powder (or the darkest cocoa powder you can find)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract (real, not imitation)

2 cups flour (all-purpose)  (I use King Arthur Flour)

2 cups sugar

1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

3/4 teaspoon salt

2 eggs (room temperature)

2/3 cup sour cream (room temperature)

Vanilla Buttercream Icing

1 cup unsalted butter  (room temperature)

4 Tablespoons cream cheese (room temperature)

2 pounds confectioner sugar (sifted)

1/4 to 1/2 cup heavy cream infused with steeped vanilla beans

1/8 teaspoon salt

Raspberry Curd

8 Tablespoons (1-stick) unsalted butter (softened)

1 and 1/2 cups fresh or frozen raspberries

6 medium egg yolks, lightly beaten

3/4 cups sugar

1/8 teaspoons salt

2 Tablespoons Lemoncino liquor (or fresh-lemon juice)

Dark Chocolate Cupcakes

1. Preheat oven to 350F degrees.  Line cupcake pans with liners (cupcake papers)

2. In a medium sauce pan, melt the butter over medium-low heat.  Whisk in the cocoa powder until smooth.  Add the heavy cream, brewed coffee and vanilla.  Heat until just barely simmering.  Remove from heat and allow to cool as you prep the other ingredients.

3. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt.  Set aside.

4. In another medium bowl, whisk together the sour cream and eggs.

5. Slowly pour the slightly cooled chocolate mixture into the egg/sour cream mixture and whisk until smooth.  Note: DO THIS SLOWLY! You don’t want to cook the egg mixture.  DO NOT DUMP IT ALL AT ONCE.

6. Make a well in the middle of the flour mixture.  In three parts, add the chocolate mixture to the flour.  Whisk until just combined and smooth after each addition.  Scrape the sides of the bowl to ensure everything is incorporated.  Finally, whisk batter for about 20 strokes.

7. Fill cupcake liners 3/4 full with batter.  Bake 17 to 19 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

8. Cool in pans for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

Vanilla Buttercream Instructions:

1. Cream together the butter and cream cheese.

2. While that is creaming, steep your heavy cream with 1 vanilla bean.  To steep: Split the vanilla bean and scrape the seeds and add to cream. Whisk.  Bring the bean/cream to a simmer, remove from heat and cool slightly.  Remove vanilla bean pod.

3. Add the sugar, one cup at a time into the buttercream cheese.  Mix on high until smooth.

4. Add the vanilla extract and beat until incorporated.

5. Add 1/4 to 1/2 cup vanilla cream until you get the desired consistency you desire.  Beat on high for 3 to 4 minutes until light and fluffy.

6. Mix in a pinch of salt.

Raspberry Curd Instructions:

1. Melt the butter in a medium sauce pan over medium heat.

2. Add the sugar, berries, egg and salt.  Heat until the sugar has dissolved and all the berries have broken down.  Stirring Consistency.

3. Cook at low simmer (medium high) for 10 minutes or until the mixture has thickened.

4. Stir in the Lemoncino (or lemon juice).

5. Press the mixture through a coarse strainer sitting over a bowl.  Try to press out as much of the juice you can from the pulp and seeds of the berries.

6. Pour mixture into a jar or container with a lid.  Allow to cool on the counter for a few hours before covering and storing in refrigerator.  Curd will thicken as it cools.

7. Keeps for about a month if kept cool.

Recipe from:  javacupcake.com 

http://javacupcake.com/2012/07/raspberry-curd/

Recipe from:  javacupcake.com  (Thank you for such a great recipe java)!

http://javacupcake.com/2012/07/raspberry-curd/