Merciful God, You are great in compassion and Your tenderness for us is without measure. We ask You to give us today our daily bread, and also provide for the needs of all of Your hungry children around the world. Through Christ Your Son and Our Lord. Amen.

Friday, February 12, 2010

Rootin' for the Red, White and Blue!

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And what better way to celebrate and cheer on the team than with some good, old-fashioned Cream-Filled Chocolate Cupcakes? Besides being a great party dessert, these cupcakes are great for packed lunches (love in the lunch box), and bake sales. What kid (or grown-up) can resist cream-filled love?


Cream Filled Chocolate Cupcakes
makes about 30

3 c. all-purpose flour
2 c. sugar
⅓ c. cocoa
2 t. baking soda
1 t. salt
2 eggs
1 c. milk
1 c. vegetable oil (I often use 1/2 c. applesauce, 1/2 c. oil)
1 c. water
1 t. vanilla extract


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Filling

¼ c. butter, softened
¼ c. shortening
2 c. confectioners' sugar
3 T. milk
1 t. vanilla extract
pinch salt

In a mixing bowl, combine the first five ingredients.
Add eggs, milk, oil, water and vanilla.
Beat until smooth, about 2 minutes.
Fill paper-lined muffin cups half full.
Bake at 375 degrees F for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.
Remove from pans to wire racks to cool completely.

In a mixing bowl, combine butter, shortening, confectioners' sugar, milk, vanilla and salt; beat until fluffy, about 5 minutes.
Insert a very small tip into a pastry or plastic bag; fill with cream filling.


Push the tip through the bottom of paper liner to fill each cupcake
(I find I need to cut a small slit with the point of a sharp knife first).



Squeeze filling into each cupcake. I usually squeeze to the count of three -- if you overfill the top will bust open -- then you have to eat it!





Frosting

1/4 c. butter, softened
2/3 c. cocoa
3 c. powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
about 1/3 c. milk


In a mixing bowl, whip butter. Add cocoa. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating to spreading consistency. Stir in vanilla. Add small amount additional milk, if needed.




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8 comments:

Sarah said...

Those look scrumptious, Barbara! Great idea for the Olympics, too, with the M&M logos. And I really like your cupcake stand ... I have been thinking for awhile that I *need* a cupcake stand ... After all the cupcakes I bake, I may as well have something pretty to display them on, right?! (The cupcakes for the kids, the pretty stand for me =)

Anonymous said...

Oh wow!!! I am going to make those for Valentine's Day! Those look yummy!!

Abby said...

I SO love the idea of filling them from the bottom than cutting them in half and such.

Crafty P said...

oh yum! I have yet to make these. I remember a mom of one of my students (ages ago) telling me how to do this. Maybe for the twin's birthday or for Mardi Gras!

I LOVE that cupcake stand! so cute and fun!

Barb Szyszkiewicz said...

I have to try these!

Barbara said...

Sarah, Thanks! My mom bought the stand for me. Sadly, I don't know where -- I think it was home party. It is fun, though I don't use it very often.

I hope you like them, Amy Caroline.

Abby, yes, pushing through the bottom is very easy.

Crafty P -- Mardis Gras would be a great excuse -- just two days away.

Barb -- I bet your daughter would love to make them!

Mary Elizabeth said...

So I made these and enjoyed them but after I finished filling them and the bottoms got a little messy I wondered, why not fill from the top? If you are going to frost them anyhow you would not see the hole and this way the bottoms would stay intact. Just an idea - I'll have to try it next time.

Barbara said...

Mary Elizabeth,
Good question -- you could try it. My first hesitation would be that stuffing the tip into the crown without the stability of the paper would kind of ruin them. Maybe they would still be salvageable with frosting. The other concern would be that the filling makes them so moist that with the addition of the frosting they might turn gooey on top. Let me know if you try -- I'd love to hear back.