2008-05-16

Chocolate Covered Cherry Cupcakes

To those of you who have been following my less than completely successful experiments with chocolate cupcakes, I would like you to meet the fruit of my labor: the Chocolate Covered Cherry Cupcake. It may not have the perfect cupcake dome, but in this case, the bug is now a feature, since the lack of slope allows the melted chocolate to harden without running off. As an additional bonus for the extended experimentation, the Cupcake Hero contest theme for May turned out to be cocoa powder, so this will be my first submission to that huge event. Despite initially being geared more toward Mommy's tastes, The Kid adores the the cupcake with a surprise in the middle. Allowing him to eat one results in a chocolate covered child!
Creamed Ingredients:
1/2 C dairy free margarine, softened

3/4 C sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

Dry Ingredients:

1 C all-purpose flour

1/2 C cocoa powder

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

Liquid Ingredients:

1/2 C plain soy yogurt

1/2 C boiling water
Additional:
12 large maraschino cherries
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a standard muffing tin with 12 cupcake liners. Sift together dry ingredients and set aside. Cream margarine then add sugar and continue to beat until light and fluffy. Mix in vanilla extract. Slow mixer, then gradually add in half the dry ingredients, then the soy yogurt, then the rest of the dry ingredients. Continuing to beat mixer slowly, add boiling water and mix until fully integrated.
Divide the batter evenly between the 12 cupcake liners. Very, very gently push a maraschino cherry into the center of each cupcake until even or just below surface. Using a spatula or knife, gently smooth batter over the top of the cherry. Bake for twenty minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Remember not to stick the toothpick exactly in the center due to the cherry! Allow to cool completely, then commence with the chocolate overkill, which may be blamed on Jill O'Connor and the Daring Bakers. (You know who you are.)
Melted Chocolate Topping:
1 C allergy safe chocolate chips, i.e. Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips

1 Tbs vegetable shortening

Place chips and shortening in a small, heat safe bowl fitted atop a small pot of boiling water. Stir until melted, then spoon onto cupcakes. If necessary, spread with a circular motion. Allow to cool before consuming, if you can.
Makes one dozen decadent cupcakes and provides incontrovertible proof that food allergies do not cause a life of deprivation.

3 comments:

Sisters with Style said...

These sound absolutely yummy! My 2 year old, who has a dairy allergy, thanks you!

MyKitchenInHalfCups said...

That would seem your experiments paid off. Love that you make the bug a feature! Brilliant!

Anonymous said...

These look tasty! I wouldn't have even guessed they are egg, nut and dairy free. I love chocolate covered cherries. I'll give these a try.