Chocolate Cupcake with Malted Frosting and Toasted Marshmellow Filling
Makes 24
1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
2 cups granulated sugar
¾ cups cocoa power (extra dark works well)
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking power
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs (room temperature is always good)
1 cup strong black coffee (can be hot)
1 cup buttermilk at room temperature
½ cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
Preheat the oven to 350 F then line your muffin tins with cupcake liners. In your electric mixers bowl sift all the dry ingredients together. Then add all the wet ingredients to the dry and mix with the paddle attachment for 2 minutes on medium speed. (the plastic guard is good to use to keep the splashing contained). Pour the batter into the cupcakes liners 2/3 full, the batter is liquidly so using an ice cream scoop is easiest.
Malted Chocolate Frosting
¾ lb butter (3 sticks) at room temperature
1 ½ cups powdered sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
¾ cup Ovaltine or malted powder
6 oz good quality bittersweet chocolate, chopped and melted
½ cup whipping cream
In your stand mixer use your paddle attachment to combine the powered sugar and butter and beat on low speed for about 1 minute. Add the vanilla and malt powder and beat on low until combined. Add the melted chocolate and beat on medium speed until smooth- about 2 minutes. Add whipping cream and beat on medium high speed for another minute. Because this frosting has the whip cream in it I would not make it too far in advance, best to make and frost but it keeps well at room temperature.
Toasted Marshmallow Filling (crack)
20 large white marshmallows
½ cup powdered sugar
½ cup unsalted butter (1 stick) at room temperature
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
4 oz Marshmallow Fluff (Kraft Jet-Puffed marshmallow cream)
Pinch of salt (kosher is best)
Place the marshmallows on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or SilPad. Broil on a lower rack in the oven until nice and brown- do not step away from the oven; they go from brown to burned very fast. Pull them out of the oven and let cool while you combine the butter and powder sugar in your electric mixer with the paddle attachment on low until blended. Add vanilla and mix on high for 3 minutes. Add marshmallow cream, toasted marshmallows and salt, mix on medium for about a minute. I combined mine a bit more to get the big clumps of marshmallows to combine but that is up to you.
