Chocolate

Appearances can be deceiving: These sugared flower–topped cupcakes look like dainty petits four, but the lavender-flavored and-colored icing hides a rich chocolate brownie cupcake. Look for dried lavender at specialty markets or online; edible pesticide-free flowers can be found at baking-supply stores. You can also make the icing without the lavender.

A chirping trio of newly hatched birds is a charming ode to a baby’s pending arrival (or first birthday). The buttercream bluebirds and coconut nest are perched atop cupcakes frosted with chocolate buttercream.

During Passover, the proscription of any sort of leavening (including wheat flour) can greatly limit a baker’s possibilities. Yet these cupcakes, inspired by Eastern European tortes, rely on egg whites for leavening and use ground walnuts in place of regular flour, making them a wonderful option for a seder or other gathering. They are also a good choice any time of year for those with gluten intolerance.

With their crackly, sunken tops, these chocolate cupcakes seem tailor-made for cradling scoops of ice cream. In place of flour and leaveners, whipped egg whites produce cakes with a light-as-air texture.

Golden tendrils of spun sugar formed into a “nest” make a dramatic cupcake topper. Despite its delicate appearance, spun sugar is actually pliable and requires no special handling (except during the cooking stage, when the caramel must be cooked to the proper temperature). The spun sugar should be used the same day; let it drape over the spoon, then shape threads into balls just before placing on a frosted cupcake.

This deep, dark, satiny frosting (thanks to the addition of melted semisweet chocolate) is a favorite of Martha Stewart Living food editors, since it has just the right consistency for spreading or piping into beautiful swirls. It also has a wonderful sheen.

Baked inside sugar cones, these cupcakes-in-hiding combine the best aspects of an ice cream sundae (all those great toppings!) in a no-melt treat. The cones are adorned with buttercream and topped with the usual fixings—whipped cream, colorful sprinkles, chopped nuts, melted chocolate, and even a cherry on top. Any leftover batter can be baked in mini muffin tins. An old-fashioned ice-cream-cone stand is a charming (and convenient) way to serve the cupcakes.

An abundance of creamy peanut-butter filling renders these cupcakes extra-rich and irresistible. The batter and filling—each whisked together by hand—are layered, then swirled to create the marbleized pattern on top.

Each of these chewy brownie cupcakes has a secret center: a chocolate-covered peppermint patty. To ensure they have a dense, fudgy texture, be careful not to overbake (start checking at thirty minutes).

Although you might think these cakes have a German pedigree, they’re actually named for German’s chocolate, a sweet baking chocolate developed in the nineteenth century for an American company called Baker’s Chocolate. Modern versions call for semisweet chocolate instead, which gives the cupcakes a well-rounded flavor, perfectly complemented by the traditional sticky-sweet coconut-pecan filling and frosting.

Similar to dark chocolate frosting (page 302), this topping gets its intense color from the addition of semisweet chocolate. Sour cream and cream cheese impart tangy flavor and ultra-creamy consistency. This frosting would pair well with any chocolate cupcake, particularly devil’s food (page 34; also made with sour cream), as well as those made with banana, such as the roasted banana cupcakes on page 141.

This rich, thick chocolate glaze may remind you of hot fudge sauce in its flavor and consistency. Avoid overmixing when stirring the chocolate into the hot-cream mixture, as this can cause the ganache to become dull and grainy. To make a thinner glaze for coating the handwritten valentine cupcakes on page 212, see variation below.

Ganache—a smooth mixture of chocolate and cream—is one of the richest, most luscious of all chocolate frostings. The frosting is made in the same manner as the chocolate ganache glaze (opposite), and then allowed to thicken until the frosting is spreadable. Achieving the perfect consistency can be tricky; if the frosting becomes too firm to spread, reheat in a bowl over a pan of simmering water until it begins to melt around the edges, then remove from heat and stir until smooth.

Kids of all ages are bound to adore white cupcakes studded with chocolate morsels. Whipped egg whites folded into the batter produce a light and airy crumb. Tossing the chocolate chips with a bit of flour helps ensure they will be distributed throughout, rather than sink to the bottoms as they bake. The chocolate frosting is so rich and satiny, you’ll want to pair it with other cupcakes in this book, especially yellow buttermilk (page 26) and devil’s food (page 34).

This recipe is used to make the brownie hearts on page 213; some of the batter is baked in muffin tins, the rest in an 8-inch pan for cutting into heart-shaped toppers.