Marshmallow Chocolate Cupcakes

   

In November (yes, yes, I know it's been a while) I made cupcakes for a good friend's birthday.   Her name is Joy and she's my upstairs neighbor, along with her daughter, Nicole.  It's a long story but I yelled at them when they were moving in and made up for it with brownies.  Since then, we've become very good friends who share our struggles over coffee and my baked goods.  Joy makes a killer homemade chicken noodle soup and is a respected baker in her own right (she ran/runs a catering business when she's not masquerading as a doctoral student).  Together though, over strong coffee and baked goods, we serve as each others sounding boards, idea generators and sometimes just a place to vent or enjoy the silence.
     Her birthday was in November and I decided to go simple but delicious for her birthday.  She enjoys chocolate just like most of us and I figured what goes better with chocolate than marshmallow... The answer is NOTHING!    So Marshmallow Chocolate Cupcakes were born as a birthday present.  This recipe is unique, I would suggest making this recipe on the same day that you make the Kahlua Meringues  because the frosting for these cupcakes doubles as the meringue topping!
     So my normal chocolate cake recipe doesn't work for these cupcakes, it's too flaky and falls apart in cupcake form.  Therefore, I use a regular old box mix cake with some spruced up touches, a delicious filling, and knock your socks off frosting!

    Ingredients:
Cake
    1 Betty Crocker Dark Chocolate cake mix
    oil called for on package
    coffee, substituted for the water, as called for on the package
    eggs as called for the package
Filling:
  1 package of Chocolate pudding mix (you can choose the flavor, I chose chocolate for a richer cupcake)
  milk as called for on pudding package
  1/2 tsp coconut extract
Frosting:
  2 large egg whites  (don't use the already separated kind that you get in a box, they don't fluff right)
  3/4 cup white sugar
 1/4 tsp or large pinch of cream of tarter  (this makes the egg whites hold the whipped air and stay fluffy)
 1/4 tsp vanilla extract 

Directions:
 Grab a Betty Crocker Dark Chocolate cake mix and pour it into a bowl.  Then, instead of water.... here come the secret, SHHHHHH... instead of water, add STRONG coffee (espresso would work if you don't make your coffee like I do [thick, black sludge that a spoon stands up in]  or instant coffee if you must).  Trust me on this, the chocolate taste is magnificent with this added touch.  Then add the eggs and the oil as called for on the package.  Mix it according to box directions, put cupcakes liners in a cupcake pan, scoop the batter into the pans and bake for the time on the package.  Then let the cupcakes cool, I know it'll be tempting, but back off and let the cool.

    While the cupcakes are cooling, mix up the filling.  Add the pudding mix to a bowl, the 1/2 tsp of coconut extract and the milk.  Mix according to the directions on the package.  Let the pudding set up while the cupcakes cool.  When the pudding cools and the cupcakes are cool, put the pudding into a Ziploc bag and cut a small tip off one of the ends, this will serve as a pastry bag.
    When the cupcakes are cool, use the Ziploc bag to fill the cupcakes.  To fill a cupcake, take either a knife or a cupcake punch, and make a hole in the cupcake.  Fill the hole with the filling.  Make sure that the filling comes to the top of the cupcake, but not over the top, just make it even with the cake.
    When you're ready to frost, make the frosting as follows.  Place a shallow pot on the stove with about 4 inches of water, then place a bowl over the water pot.  A double boiler.   In the bowl over the simmering water, add the egg whites and sugar.   The idea in doing this is that you "cook" the egg whites and dissolve the sugar.  So with that in mind, stir constantly and bring the egg whites up to warm.   I define warm as warm to the touch.   When you touch the egg whites, the "grit" of the sugar should be gone.  Think silky smooth texture. 
    So once your egg whites and sugar are warm and silky take the top bowl off the heat and bring to beat the egg whites with a mixer.  I prefer to do this in my stand mixer because it's nice to be able to turn the mixer up as the egg whites fluff and be able to walk away.  If you don't have a stand mixer, slowly increase the speed while mixing well.    As the mixture begins to fluff, add the cream of tarter and the vanilla extract.  The  mixture will get very white, very fluffy and very glossy.  In order to tell when the marshmallows are done, take a beater and flip it upside down.  If the the peak holds its shape, then your meringues are done! (hint, this is a marshmallowy/meringue type frosting.  Technically it's a meringue, but the texture is more marshmallowy)    GENTLY take a spatula and put the meringues in the pastry or Ziploc bag.  If you're using a pastry bag, a large star tip makes the pretty shape.  Frost the cupcakes with a pretty pattern and place them on a cookie sheet.  Turn the broiler on in your oven or used a kitchen torch and gently brown the meringues.  Don't take your eyes off these meringues or you will burn them and burnt things taste bad!  
    These cupcakes are moist, chocolately, and the frosting tastes like a big marshmallow!  Yumm!