Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Coffee Cupcakes With Orange Chocolate Ganache Filling and Baileys Buttercream




I'd heard of the Cupcake Hero competition here and there but hadn't ever properly looked into how to enter. There was some confusion for me because the host changes each month to the previous month's winner, so I had a hard time figuring out where to join. This month, however, I've tracked the competition to The Insomniac Baker so I'm on board and ready and rarin' to go! Fitting because the theme this time around is caffeine.

While I'm usually not the type to get hopped up on the stuff I do relish the challenge of incorporating something new into a cupcake. I've already come up with the best tea cupcake I can imagine, so it was time to broaden my horizons and try something different. I'm not a coffee drinker but I do like coffee-flavored sweets (ok, I like sweets of any flavor) so why not try a coffee cupcake? This is a first for me because my husband doesn't like coffee, so I'll be on my own eating this one. Oh, the sacrifices I make for my art.

I only own two bottles of liquor: cheap vodka I use for vodka cream sauce and a small bottle of Baileys I bought on a whim. The latter perfect for my current baking experiment. After all, what goes together better than coffee and a splash of Baileys? Decided on coffee cake and Baileys frosting, I had to brainstorm to find just the right filling. Did some research into various cocktails made with Baileys and fell for the idea of incorporating orange into the mix. In the form of orange chocolate ganache, naturally. Bam! Sometimes the cupcake creation process really is that simple.

The end result is a coffee-flavored cake with a sweet and subtle Baileys buttercream offset by the slightly bitter but oh so rich chocolate ganache filling with a hint of orange. Just like a tasty cup of gourmet coffee. And just like your coffee no one would ever suspect that it's laced with booze.


Coffee Cupcakes
Adapted from 6 Bittersweets

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup milk
2 teaspoons instant coffee powder

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a standard muffin tin with 12 paper liners.
2) Heat the milk gently on the stove or in the microwave, then add the instant coffee powder, stirring to make sure that it's completely dissolved. Set aside.
3) In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
4) In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the egg and yolk and mix until combined into the batter. Then add the vanilla and mix again.
5) Alternately beat in dry ingredients and milk mixture, making three additions of dry ingredients and two of milk, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Beat just until combined.
6) Fill cupcake liners until they are about 2/3 full. Bake for 16 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool in pan on rack for ten minutes, then remove from pan and cool completely.


Orange Chocolate Ganache Filling

4 ounces bittersweet chocolate
1/3 cup heavy cream
Peel from 1/2 large orange, torn into pieces
1 tablespoon butter, at room temperature

1) Place chocolate in a bowl and set aside.
2) Heat cream and orange peel in a saucepan over medium heat until it just boils. Strain out orange peel and pour cream over chocolate. Let sit for one minute then stir until smooth.
3) Add butter and stir until smooth.
6) Using the cone method, cut a cone out of each cupcake and fill the cavity with ganache. Replace top.


Baileys Buttercream

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 1/4 to 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
2 1/2 tablespoons Baileys Irish Cream

1) In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter for 45-60 seconds.
2) Add 2 1/4 cups powdered sugar and beat until mixture comes together.
3) Add Baileys and beat an additional 45 seconds. Add additional powdered sugar if necessary.
4) Pipe onto cupcakes and enjoy!




24 comments:

Lenore @ Lather. Write. Repeat. said...

Oh yum!!

XO
Lenore

Jami said...

Bookmarking this. I have to make these. I love Baileys and I have been getting a lot of grief from my brothers (teasing, of course) because it has been over a month since I made the Tiramisu cupcakes that made our heads spin. (I like a lot of Kahlua in mine ;).

I completely forgot to post that recipe....

AmericKim said...

Yum Yum Yum! I can not wait to try these! They look so delicious! Thank you for sharing.
Kimberly

Sandi @the WhistleStop Cafe said...

Yummy!
Another friday's favorite for sure~ come link up so I can find these cupcakes when I'm ready for a quick and easy dessert :-)

April J Harris said...

Your cupcakes sound so delicious - I love the idea of the orange chocolate ganache and Bailey's in buttercream is absolutely inspired!

Gwen @ Gwenny Penny said...

Oh my tasty goodness... YUM!

Lina Thomlinson said...

Thanks, everyone. I hope you do try them because they're darn tasty!

Jill said...

This sounds delicious!!

Mandy England said...

Oh. my. word. These sound AMAZING!! I'm definitely going to have to try this! Thanks for sharing :]

Val said...

Drool. These look so good.

Preppy Pink Crocodile said...

If you can believe this is possible, I actually don't care for cake. But the coffee and Baileys- my favorite in the winter- sound A-MAZ-ING together!!

Unknown said...

Oh my! My husband would LOVE these! I'd love it if you'd come over and link this up to Foodie Friday.

~ The Speckled Dog
http://thespeckleddog.blogspot.com/2010/09/foodie-friday-3.html

Betsy@My Salvaged Treasures said...

I'm sitting here drinking my morning coffee and thinking about getting breakfast. Oh, these look so yummy. I wish I could reach out and grab one. I shouldn't be looking at food on an empty stomach. Yum:-)

Kitty Deschanel said...

Mmmmmm! You had me at Baileys :)
If you have a free moment, I have a new weekly (I hope!) Linky on my blog called Not “Baaad” Sundays with LambAround. I’d love for you to post this :)

Xiaolu said...

Mmm this looks and sounds delicious. Glad you were able to make use of this recipe :).

shannon i olson said...

These sound wonderful!!

KimMalk said...

I've been watching cupcake wars which has been inspiring me. This week I am trying a strawberry recipe. It looks like these will be high on my list. I'm going to check out your tea ones, too.

Unknown said...

holy cow those sound amazing! Could eat a bajillion of those right now!

Lori@Paisley Passions said...

Definitely going to have to try those! TFS!

Terrell said...

OH YUM!! How tasty would these be!!?! I've for sure gotta make some! I'm happy to be your newest follower of your delightful blog and I'd love to have you as a friend at Frou Frou Decor! I'd also like to invite you to link your sweet creations up at my link party each Friday! Hope to see you there!!
Hugs,
~Terrell @ Frou Frou Decor~

HoosierHomemade said...

Yum! That Orange Chocolate Ganache sounds awesome!
Thanks for adding them to Cupcake Tuesday!
~Liz

Erika Melissa Medina Laya said...

yum yum..... i make a mango cupcakes!!
http://sweetcreations-em.blogspot.com/2010/09/cupcakes-de-mango-aromatizados.html

Unknown said...

Mmmmm, can't wait to try these!

Found you via Paisley Passions blog party thing.... and now I'm sticking around!

chrystal
www.adornonashoestring.com

Ashlee Marie said...

what a fun recipe! Thanks for linking up to Topsy Turvy Tuesday's!