Baby cakes with fudge frosting

 

A few weeks ago we purchased our first pair of mini cupcake pans. And you know what? We're never going back to big. The "baby cakes" are satisfying enough to fulfill your strongest cupcake craving, but the smaller size is much more reasonable, not to mention less damaging to your waistline.

We like to use boxed cake mixes. Because we find them perfectly acceptable. And we've even been known to buy canned frosting.

However.

When you're looking for a really special, really chocolately icing, this fudgy recipe from Global Gourmet is, by far, our favorite. Even we at Half Assed Kitchen know that sometimes an occasion calls for something fabulous.

Here's what you need and how you do it

1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter or margarine, cut into 6 pieces

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup half and half (or soy milk)

4 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped

4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped

2 cups powdered sugar, sifted (or not)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 teaspoons instant decaf coffee dissolved in 1 Tablespoon water (optional)

Put the butter, granulated sugar and half-and-half in a medium saucepan and heat over medium heat until the butter melts and the sugar dissolves, stirring occasionally. Increase the heat to medium-high and simmer the mixture for 1 minute, stirring constantly.

Small bubbles will form around the edge of the pan. Remove the saucepan from heat. Add the semisweet and unsweetened chocolate and stir the mixture until it's smooth and all of the chocolate is melted. Return the saucepan to low heat for 1 minute, if necessary, to melt the chocolate completely.

Pour the chocolate mixture into the large bowl of an electric mixer. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla and dissolved coffee and mix on low speed just to incorporate the powdered sugar. Press plastic wrap onto the surface of the mixture and refrigerate until it is cool to the touch, about 35 minutes. Stir occasionally to ensure the mixture cools throughout.

Beat the cooled chocolate mixture on medium-high for 1 minute, or until the frosting is creamy and lightens slightly in color. 

Start frosting your baby cakes!

Comments

[Rebecka]

I totally agree, smaller pastries are definately satisfying enough and I don't know about you but for me there's something nostalgic about smaller cookies and pastries. My grandmothers always served sevreal types of smaller cookies instead of just one big with the coffee

[kcinnova]

Craving. Chocolate. NOW!

[Amiyrah]

mmmmm...chocolate. Good thing we have all this chocolate left from halloween, or else i'd be making cuppy cakes right now!

[Kristy]

Easier way to make awesome fudgey frosting: use a regular buttercream-type chocolate frosting recipe, but melt the butter first, and use a tbsp or two of how water as needed to thin instead of milk. Trust me! And Duncan Hines Devil's Food chocolate cake is the best.