Sweet Vernal Zephyr

Chocolate still runs through my blood. I have a standing date every Sunday afternoon with my inlaws where I usually provide dessert.






This week my MIL gave me the Pampered Chef Decorator Bottle Set to use. So after a little bit of brainstorming I decided cupcakes were the way to go. Easy to eat, always pretty to present & fun!



After a bit of websearching I came across Nicole Weston's blog Baking Bites and her filled cupcakes. AHH HA! Just the thing! Her Vanilla Cream Filling looked just as I remembered the filling for Hostess Cupcakes - and trust me it, it is!


So... Now I am pretty sure I am going to make a homemade version of the classic Hostess Cupcakes.





I really enjoy making recipes from scratch BUT I also enjoy the ease of boxed products at times. For this recipe I used Betty Crockers Super Moist Triple Chocolate Fudge Cake mix for the cupcakes. While the cupcakes were cooling I moved onto Nicole's Vanilla Cream Filling recipe. It is a unique recipe to me... kind of has a roue type mixture that you mix with the creamed butter and sugar. Wonderful texture! After the filling was prepared I started to disect the cupcakes. Nicole's method for cutting out a cone shape worked well, but I was craving a bit more filling and ended up scooping a little more cake out with a spoon. The Pampered Chef Decorator Bottle set was too small to efficiently use for filling the cakes, but I had fun with it any way!




After assembling them I was torn between frostings. I really enjoy the eye candy of the frosting on the cover of The Cupcake Cookbook by Catherine Herman & Laurence Sombke but thought it might be too much with the filling. So I opted for a Hershey's traditional recipe for chocolate glaze from the Hershey's Easy Baking cookbook. The finished look is glossy and enticing and nicely hides the seams from the filling assembly!


CHOCOLATE GLAZE

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a small saucepan on low heat.

Add 2 tablespoons cocoa powder and 2 tablespoons water

Cook stirring constantly until smooth and slightly thickened (Do not boil)

Remove from heat

Add 1 cup powdered sugar and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Beat with wisk until smooth



VANILLA CREAM FILLING from Nicole Weston's blog BakingBites.com

Whisk 3 tablespoons flour & 1/2c milk in a small sauce pan

Cook on medium heat until thickened, stir continuously and do not boil (This will take a few minutes)

Strain (if you have chunks) into a bowl and cover until cooled to room temperature.

Meanwhile, Cream 1/2 c shortening & 1/2 c sugar

Add cooled flour mixture and vanilla

Beat on high until light and fluffy (About seven minutes)