Triple Chocolate Basketball Cupcakes
- Level: Easy
- Yield: 12 cupcakes
-
- Nutritional Analysis
- Per Serving
- Serving Size
- 1 of 12 servings
- Calories
- 691
- Total Fat
- 44
- Saturated Fat
- 19
- Carbohydrates
- 76
- Dietary Fiber
- 3
- Sugar
- 63
- Protein
- 5
- Cholesterol
- 77
- Sodium
- 203
- Total: 2 hr 15 min
- Active: 1 hr 30 min
Ingredients
For the Cupcakes:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons instant espresso powder
3/4 cup whole milk
1 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
For the Frosting and Topping:
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
Pinch of salt
11/4 cups confectioners' sugar
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons whole milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
8 ounces white chocolate, chopped
2 tablespoons coconut oil or vegetable shortening
1/2 teaspoon orange gel food coloring
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners; set aside. Whisk the flour, salt and baking soda in a medium bowl. Whisk the cocoa powder and espresso powder in a large bowl. Heat the milk in a small saucepan over medium heat until hot but not simmering; whisk into the cocoa mixture until smooth. Whisk in the granulated sugar until dissolved, then the vegetable oil, eggs and vanilla. Whisk in the flour mixture until just combined.
- Divide the batter among the prepared muffin cups, filling each about two-thirds full. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes in the pan, then remove to a rack to cool completely.
- Meanwhile, make the frosting: Put 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave in 1-minute intervals, stirring occasionally, until smooth. Let cool to room temperature. Beat the butter and salt in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Reduce the mixer speed to low and gradually beat in the confectioners' sugar. Increase the speed to medium high and beat until fluffy again, 2 to 3 minutes. Beat in the cocoa powder, milk and vanilla until smooth. Beat in the melted chocolate until very fluffy and smooth, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Frost the cupcakes, using an offset spatula to mound the frosting into smooth rounded domes. Refrigerate until the frosting is firm, about 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, combine the white chocolate and 1 1/2 tablespoons coconut oil in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Combine the remaining 2 ounces bittersweet chocolate and 1/2 tablespoon coconut oil in a small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave each chocolate separately in 30-second intervals, stirring occasionally, until melted and smooth. Stir the orange gel food coloring into the white chocolate, then transfer to a shallow bowl or liquid measuring cup; let cool slightly. Let the bittersweet chocolate mixture cool until it's thick enough to pipe, then transfer to a resealable plastic bag and snip a small corner.
- One at a time, turn each cupcake upside down and dip the top in the orange chocolate mixture; rotate to coat and let the excess drip off. Turn right-side up and pipe lines of bittersweet chocolate to look like the seams of a basketball. Let set at room temperature, about 30 minutes.