Owl Cupcakes

When Jack told me he wanted an owl party for his fourth birthday, I wasn't sure where to go with the food, but thanks to Pinterest, I found some great ideas for cupcakes.  And Brian suggested that I try the Hostess cupcake recipe from America's Test Kitchen.  So, in an effort to please both of my June birthday boys, that's what I did.  I only used the cake portion of the cupcake -- I told Brian he'd have to wait until Father's Day to get the whole cream cupcake -- so I topped it with green tinted buttercream frosting and the result (in spite of me accidentally forgetting to add the eggs -- I got distracted, okay?) was delicious.

Blooming cocoa in boiling water and adding chocolate chips and espresso powder gave our Chocolate Cream Cupcakes recipe plenty of chocolate depth. Simply plopping a marshmallow into the batter created moonlike craters in our cupcakes. Combining marshmallow creme and the right amount of gelatin gave us the perfect creamy filling.

The Chocolate Cream Cupcakes were too delicate to allow us to inject the filling with a pastry bag. Instead, we used a paring knife to cut inverted cones from the tops of the cupcakes, added the frosting, and plugged the holes.

Makes 12 cupcakes

To ensure an appropriately thick filling, be sure to use marshmallow creme (such as Fluff or Kraft Jet-Puffed Creme), not marshmallow sauce.

INGREDIENTSCUPCAKES

• 1cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4teaspoon Salt
• 1/2cup boiling water
• 1/3cup cocoa powder
• 1/3cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1tablespoon instant espresso
• 3/4cup sugar
• 1/2cup sour cream
• 1/2cup vegetable oil
• 2large eggs
• 1teaspoon vanilla extract

FILLING

• 3tablespoons water
• 3/4teaspoon unflavored gelatin
• 4tablespoon (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, softened
•  Pinch salt
• 1teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/4cups marshmallow crème (see note)

GLAZE

• 1/2cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 3tablespoons unsalted butter

INSTRUCTIONS

• 1. MAKE BATTER Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour 12-cup muffin tin. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in bowl. Whisk water, cocoa, chocolate chips, and espresso in large bowl until smooth. Add sugar, sour cream, oil, eggs, and vanilla and mix until combined. Whisk in flour mixture until incorporated. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups. Bake until toothpick inserted into cupcake comes out with few dry crumbs attached, 18 to 22 minutes. Cool -cupcakes in tin 10 minutes, then turn out onto wire rack and cool completely.
• 2. PREPARE FILLING Combine water and gelatin in large bowl and let sit until gelatin softens, about 5 minutes. Microwave until mixture is bubbling around edges and gelatin dissolves, about 30 seconds. Stir in butter, vanilla, and salt until combined. Let mixture cool until just warm to touch, about 5 minutes, then whisk in marshmallow creme until smooth; refrigerate until set, about 30 minutes. Transfer 1/3 cup marshmallow mixture to pastry bag fitted with small plain tip; reserve remaining mixture for filling cupcakes.
• 3. ASSEMBLE CUPCAKES Microwave chocolate and butter in small bowl, stirring occasionally, until smooth, about 30 seconds. Cool glaze to room temper-ature, about 10 minutes. Following photos 1 to 3 at left, cut cone from top of each cupcake and fill cupcakes with 1 tablespoon filling each. Replace tops, frost with 2 teaspoons cooled glaze, and let sit 10 minutes. Using pastry bag, pipe curlicues across glazed cupcakes. Serve. (Cupcakes can be stored in airtight container at room temperature for 2 days.)