Seun's über creamy Ferrero Rocher Chocoffee cupcakes

Soft. Fluffy. Creamy. Delicious. Scrumptious. Divine. I could go on and on about these cupcakes. These and more are the reviews I got during the tasting of these cupcakes. I outdid myself on this one, they tasted really good...if I do say so myself...iMean, it's chocolate cake, HELLOOOO!!!! When it comes to chocolate cake, it's never too much. Never. I totally had fun baking these, licked the chocolatey batter right off the bowl so clean up was a breeze. These really chocolatey, coffee laden delights will keep you reaching for more, you cannot just have one of these. But hey, don't just take my word for it, try it out, also and see. 😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊

Ingredients

CUPCAKES

250g unsalted butter, softened

2 cups, granulated sugar

1 1/2 cups chocolate milk

3 large eggs, room temperature,well beaten till foamy

3 cups plain flour

2 level tablespoons baking powder

A pinch of salt

1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

2 heaped tablespoons instant coffee, dissolved in 1 tablespoon hot water 

1 tablespoon vanilla essence 

Ferrero Rocher chocolate balls

Malted Chocolate balls to decorate

FROSTING

500g icing sugar, sifted

200g butter

1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

4 tablespoons chocolate milk

2 tablespoons instant coffee dissolved in chocolate milk

1 tablespoon vanilla essence.

Makes 24 cupcakes

Total baking time: 45 minutes

Preparation

Heat the oven to 190°C and arrange a rack in the middle. Fill the cupcake mould with paperliners. 

Sift together the measured flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt in a dry bowl; set aside.

Dissolve instant coffee in boiling water, add to chocolate milk, set aside. 

Using your mixer, starting on a high speed, cream the butter, sugar and vanilla essence together for at least 8-10minutes until pale white and very fluffy. 

With mixer still running, add the beaten eggs to your creamed moisture. Allow to be well incorporated.

Add the flour mixture in 3 batches, alternating with the milk, mixing thoroughly after each addition, and ending with flour.

Add a ball of Ferrero Rocher chocolates to each case, then using a tablespoon, add 2 generously heaped spoons of batter to each case. It will be approximately just over half full. 

Place in the centre of your preheated oven.

Allow to bake for approximately 15minutes, then check

 for "doneness". 

Your cupcakes are done when pressed in the middle, they are springy to the touch or when a clean toothpick comes out dry when inserted in the middle. 

Remove from oven, leave in mould for 5 minutes, then remove from mould to cool completely. 

CHOCOFFEE BUTTERCREAM FROSTING 

Dissolve instant coffee in 1 tablespoon of water. Add to chocolate milk. Add vanilla essence to the chocolate milk mixture. 

Sift together icing with unsweetened cocoa powder.

With your mixer at high speed, mix butter with 1 1/2 cups icing sugar/cocoa powder mixture for 2 minutes. Add chocolate milk. Allow to mix for 2 minutes, add remaining icing sugar, mix at a high speed for 3 minutes until it gets to a piping consistency. 

Pipe or spread onto the now cooled cupcakes. Decorate each cupcake with malted chocolate balls. Serve with coffee, ice cream or anything really... but goes reaaaaaaally well with a huge cup of hot, black steaming coffee. 

Bon appetit, but remember, eat responsibly. 

"JD" infused Mocha-Vanilla Creamy cupcakes...inspired by HumzzZZzz

A wise man once said,"the first job of a cake is to be vanilla". Words on marble, yup. This is why I always, always, always add vanilla to every cake I'm baking. Sometimes too, you just want to keep it simple, especially when you're using a strong flavoured frosting which brings us to our cake for the weekend... good ol' vanilla cupcakes with mocha frosting. These fluffy, moist, buttery cuppies drenched in mocha whipped cream frosting with a generous dash of  "JD" are so delicious you might not want to share. 

 "JD" infused Mocha-Vanilla Creamy cupcakes...inspired by HumzZzzZzzz

Ingredients

250g unsalted butter, softened
3 cups granulated sugar
3 large eggs (room temperature), lightly beaten
360ml unsweetened yogurt
3 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 tablespoons baking powder
3 tablespoons vanilla essence
1/2 teaspoon salt 

Frosting 

• 2 tablespoons, instant coffee powder
• 226g unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
• 3 1/2 cups confectioners (icing) sugar, sifted 
• 4 tablespoons, unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/3 cup chocolate milk 
• 3 tablespoons "JD" 

Difficulty level: Easy

Total baking/prep time: 1 hour

Heat the oven to 300°F and arrange a rack in the middle. Line your cupcake moulds with paper liners 

Whisk together the measured flour, baking powder and salt in a dry bowl; set aside.

Using your mixer, starting on a high speed, cream the butter, sugar and vanilla essence together for at least 8-10minutes until pale white and fluffy. 

Gently add the eggs to creamed moisture with mixer still running, allow to mix properly. 

Add the flour in 3 batches, alternating with the milk, mixing thoroughly after each addition, and ending with flour. 

Using a tablespoon, add 2 generously heaped spoons of batter to each case. It will be approximately just over half full. 

Place in the centre of your preheated oven.

Allow to bake for approximately 15minutes, then check

 for "doneness". 

To know that your cupcakes are done, check that they are light brown and when pressed in the middle, are springy to the touch or a toothpick comes out dry when inserted in the middle. 

Remove from oven, leave in mould for 5 minutes, then remove from mould to cool completely. 

FROSTING

Dissolve instant coffee in 1 tablespoon of water

Sieve icing together with unsweetened cocoa powder and salt. 

With your mixer at high speed, mix butter with 1 1/2 cups icing sugar for 2 minutes. Add chocolate milk, instant coffee and vanilla essence to mixture, add "JD", Allow to mix for 2 minutes, add remaining icing sugar, mix on a high speed for 3 minutes until it gets to a piping/spreading consistency. 

Pipe or spread onto the now cooled cupcakes. Sprinkle crushed peanuts on cupcakes. Serve with coffee, ice cream or anything really. 

Makes 18 cupcakes.

Bon appetit. 

Eat responsibly. 

Light as air, fluffy and drenched in coconut cream, these scrumptious coconut cupcakes can be served with coffee or with a dollop of your favorite ice cream.

Prep: 20 minutes
Total cooking time: 45 minutes
Difficulty level: Easy

Things you'll need
Electric mixer or a wide bowl and wooden spatula (turny garri)
one or two 12-hole deep cupcake pans
cupcake paper liners
measuring cups and spoons
oven.

INGREDIENTS
250g unsalted butter, softened
3 cups granulated sugar
3 large eggs (room temperature), lightly beaten
360ml ( 1 1/2 cups) coconut milk
3 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 tablespoons baking powder
2 tablespoons vanilla essence
1/2 teaspoon salt
Frosting
3 cups powdered whipped cream
1 cup coconut milk, chilled
1 tablespoon vanilla essence
Coconut candy
Coconut liqueur (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat your oven to 150°C-160° (300°F-320°F) or gas mark 2-3, depending on how intense your oven is (learn your oven)
Place your cupcake paper liners into your pan.
Lightly beat your eggs and place aside.
Sieve flour, baking powder and salt together, keep aside.

Add butter, sugar and vanilla essence into the bowl

Cream together this mixture for 10 minutes on a high speed, pausing at intervals to scrape down the sides. 
Allow to cream till mixture is pale white.

If you're creaming by hand, cream mixture until it's pale white and slides off the spatula before the court of 5 (thanks granny)
With the mixer still on, gently add your beaten eggs to the creamed mixture.

Allow to mix properly for 2 minutes.
At this point, I like to mix by hand, so detach the mixing bowl from the mixer and pick up your spatula.
Divide your flour into 3 parts (biggest, bigger, big)

Also, divide your milk into 2 equal parts

Now, using the "biggest, bigger, big" sequence, alternately add the flour mixture in 3 additions and milk in 2 additions, beginning and ending with flour.

Using a tablespoon, add 2 generously heaped spoons of batter to each case. It will be approximately just over half full. 

Place in the centre of your preheated oven. Allow to bake for approximately 15minutes, then check for "doneness".
To know that your cupcakes are done, check that they light brown and rwhen pressed in the middle, are springy to the touch.

Remove from oven, leave in mold for 5 minutes, then remove from mold to cool completely.

You can also decide to add your coconut candy to the batter before baking 

Frosting

3 cups powdered whipped cream

1 cup cold coconut milk

1 tablespoon vanilla essence

Pour the milk into the bowl

Using the electric whisk or mixer with the whisk attachment, pour the powdered whipped cream into the milk with the mixer on a high speed until it forms stiff peaks.

Makes 18 Cupcakes... Enjoy.

So, in between my baking and daydreaming, I was finally able to get some writing done. Hahaha... 

"Ugonma, I'd like to learn how to bake...not commercially o! Just for home usage mbok so please don't bill me like you would bill someone who will bake commercially". 

If I were to be given a dollar for everytime someone said the above to me, my name would be on Forbes' list of World's wealthiest baby girls. *sighs* but alas!!!

Well, being the nice person that I am, I thought I might as well start posting cake recipes, baking tips as well as share my baking experiences here for you. After you people will say I don't do nice things for you. 

So, you beautiful people who love baking and all things cakey, get your aprons and your mixing bowls a-ready because every Saturday, I will be sharing cake recipes. Nice, ei? You like? 

Cool. It's a date. 

Now here's the fun part... I'll be naming my cupcakes after some really wonderful people on Twitter but Ummm...I'll keep that close to my chest in the meantime. 

Coming up on Saturday, Chef Yougee's "Very Coconutty Creamy Cupcakes".  See Ya!