(Holy wow – Twice in one week!)
I went a little nuts in my kitchen this weekend – the result was panakuchen, chocolate mousse, a divine grilled cheese with havarti, beef and mushroom stroganauf with fresh green beans, cupcakes (more cupcakes) and cake. Thankfully, I am adept at scaling back those recipes that I can – and dividing up the remains to highly deserving people (co-works!) At least I will only focus on the related parts tonight.
Saturday night I was craving chocolate. BADLY. I found and gave this a try (Frugal Feeding’s Mocha Mousse as prepared by me).
It was divine – but a different kind of divine than the grilled cheese. Chocolate craving satisfied. I thought. So I decided to be generous and bake for my co-works (and me). Answer: Chocolate cupcakes! As I had already hurt my arm by whisking a single egg white to stiff peak manually – I took the easy route and began with a mix.
Cake:
- Your Favorite Brand Dark Chocolate Fudge 13×9″ cake mix
- Its instructed ingredients (egg, oil, water, etc.)
- 1 T. Cinnamon
- 1/4 t. Cayenne Pepper
Frosting:
- 8 oz Cream Cheese, softened
- 2 c. Heavy Whipping Cream, well-chilled
- 1/2 c. Granulated Sugar (standard)
- Splash of Vanilla
- 1 t. Cinnamon
Optional Filling:
- Mocha Mousse
- 3 T. Apricot preserves mixed with 2 T. Brandy
Prepare the cake batter as directed plus extra spices. Bake off as desired. I dished out 48 miniature cupcakes into lined 24-cup pans, baking each pan 12 minutes. Then I woke up to reality and baked the remaining batter in a 6″ round cake pan lined with parchment paper for 33 minutes. Let them all cool completely. The cupcakes will take less time than a full cake (thermal dynamics is crazy like that).
For the Frosting, place cream cheese into the bowl of a stand mixer with a whip attachment and cream in sugar and flavorings until smooth and light. Still on medium speed (KitchenAid #4-5), slowly add in the chilled heavy whipping cream. Once it is all added and incorporated, crank that baby up to high (#8-10), step away to grab a spatula, turn back and its done – stiff peaks, room temperature stable non-melting lightly whipped cream. Frost and decorate the cupcakes as desired, decide how many cupcakes your co-workers deserve – and put them ALL onto the pan to let them eat.
Now for the rest of that cake. Flatten and split the cake into layers as desired – took off the top (was rather domed and split into 2 layers). Place a dollop of frosting onto your cake plate and center a layer on top of it. Slather half of the apricot/brandy mix on it (lush). Ring that layer with a frosting wall and fill further with Mocha Mousse. Top with the remaining layer of cake and repeat! Cover with more frosting – then you have permission to lick the bowl, whip, spatula and any other digits needed.
Its cake on a plate – ergo – Cake Plate.
Mmmm – hello beautiful!
Yum. Delish ❤
Thanks for Grace 