Tomorrow is Valentine’s Day, in case you didn’t get the memo.

If you’re like me, you’re probably procrastinating and pretending like you don’t have to finish your kid’s Valentine’s cards tonight before bed.  You’re probably ignoring the fact that you have to make cupcakes for a class party tomorrow, too.

If you’re like me, you will probably wait until the last possible minute to whip something up and stay up past your bedtime and wake up grumpy because you should’ve listened to your rational self but didn’t.

Don’t be like me.

But if you are like me, this recipe will totally bail you out.  One bowl cupcakes with quick butter cream and a molten ganache filling.  It will look like you slaved over gourmet cupcakes for days, but actually you spent less than an hour in the kitchen.  Happy Valentine’s Day to you.  From me.  Well, from me and Martha Stewart, but still.

These cupcakes are a snap to put together.  They really take just a few minutes to whip up, a few minutes in the oven, and while they’re cooling you can make the frosting.  EASY!  And while I fancied these up with a little heart marshmallow on a toothpick and pink cupcake papers, these certainly aren’t just for Valentine’s Day.

While we’re here, we really should chat about this frosting for a minute.  There’s something about a whipped butter cream frosting that’s just better than the rest.  It’s a bit lighter, a bit creamier, and not quite as over-the-top sweet.  It isn’t as pretty as a traditional butter cream or a Swiss meringue butter cream, but you won’t care when you taste it.

But the best part about this cute little cupcake?  When you bite into it, there’s just a bit of molten chocolate. The ganache is just thin enough that it stays smooth and creamy, a nice surprise and rounds out the flavors of chocolate cake and vanilla frosting.

Take my word for it – it’s the perfect recipe for your last-minute Valentine.  Enjoy, and Happy Valentine’s Day!

Be My Valentine Cupcakes

 

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Prep time

30 mins

Cook time

20 mins

Total time

60 mins

 

These basic one-bowl chocolate cupcakes are filled with a molten chocolate ganache and topped with a whipped vanilla butter cream. These just scream "Be Mine!" Recipe source: Cupcakes adapted from Martha Stewart

Serves: approx 24 cupcakes

Ingredients

Cupcakes:

• ¾ cup cocoa powder
• 1 and ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 and ½ cups sugar
• 1 and ½ teaspoons baking soda
• ¾ teaspoon baking powder
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs at room temperature if possible
• ¾ cup warm water
• ¾ cup buttermilk (or use regular milk with 2 Tablespoons of vinegar added, wait 5 minutes to curdle)
• 3 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Whipped Vanilla Butter Cream:

• 1 and ½ cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter at cool room temperature
• 6 cups confectioners sugar
• 1 Tablespoon clear vanilla extract
• ⅓ cup heavy cream
• ¼ cup half and half

Molten Ganache Filling:

• ½ cup heavy cream
• 10 ounces chopped chocolate

Instructions

Cupcakes:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Prepare cupcake pans with cupcake papers, and set aside.
3. In a large bowl, sift together cocoa powder, flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
4. Add eggs, warm water, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla, and mix (with a hand mixer) until smooth, about 3 minutes.
5. Scrape down the sides and bottom of bowl to assure batter is well mixed.
6. Fill each cupcake paper approximately ⅔ full.
7. Bake for 20 minutes or until tops spring back when touched lightly. Do not overbake.
8. Transfer to a wire rack, carefully remove from tins and let cool completely.

Frosting:

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat butter until smooth and creamy.
2. Add powdered sugar, cream and vanilla extract, and beat on low until just moistened and combined.
3. Add half and half, and beat to combine.
4. Turn speed up to medium-high, and beat for 5 minutes or until fluffy and whipped.
5. Frost as desired.

Filling

1. In a small bowl, heat cream in microwave until steaming hot but not boiling.
2. Pour chocolate chips into hot cream, allow to sit for 2 minutes.
3. Stir chocolate until smooth. This will take a couple of minutes, while the heat of the cream melts all of the chocolate.
4. Place chocolate in a small piping bag with a small star tip,, and inject tip into tops of cupcakes. Squeeze gently to push chocolate filling into cake. Repeat for all cupcakes.
5. Enjoy!

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