Chocolate Dipped Cupcakes
Hi Hat Chocolate Dipped Cupcakes are chocolate cupcakes topped with a 7 minute icing and dipped in a chocolate coating made of semisweet chocolate and coconut oil.
Servings 18
Ingredients
- 2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped 56 grams
- 1 cup all-purpose flour 140 grams
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ cup cocoa powder natural or Dutched (40 grams)
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature (57 grams)
- 1 cup granulated sugar 196 grams
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 2 large egg yolks room temperature
- ½ cup plus 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup sour cream do not use low fat
- ½ cup room temperature water or coffee
Icing
- 1¼ cups granulated sugar 245 grams
- 3 large egg whites at room temperature
- ¼ cup water
- ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Chocolate Coating:
- 12 ounces semisweet chocolate finely chopped
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil I used coconut oil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a 12 count muffin tin with paper liners, then line a second muffin tin with only 6 liners -- you should get about 18 cupcakes with this recipe.
- Melt the chocolate in a small microwave-safe bowl using 50% power and stirring every 40 seconds or so. Let cool slightly.
- While chocolate cools, sift together flour, salt, baking soda, and cocoa powder and set aside.
- In a mixing bowl using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar on low speed until blended. Continuing on low speed, add eggs and yolks one at a time, mixing after each addition. Scrape in the melted chocolate and mix until blended, then add the oil and vanilla and beat until smooth. Beat in sour cream.
- Add dry ingredients and water mixture alternately, in three parts, to the egg mixture, beating on lowest speed (or stirring by hand) until well blended.
- Fill cupcake liners ⅔ full and bake on center rack for about 18 to 20 minutes or until just slightly firm.
- Remove cupcakes from the cupcake tin and place on a cooling rack or on the counter to cool to room temperature.
- Icing: In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together the sugar, egg whites, water and cream of tartar. Set the bowl over a pan of barely simmering water and whisk until sugar is dissolved and the mixture reaches 160 degrees F on a thermometer. Transfer the bowl to a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment and beat on high speed until the frosting forms stiff peaks, about 12 to 16 minutes (mine took about 6). Add the vanilla extract and beat until combined.
- Transfer the frosting to a large pastry bag fitted with a ½-inch round decorating tip such. Pipe a high swirl of frosting onto the top of each cupcake. Keep the cupcakes chilled while you prepare the dipping chocolate.
- Make the Chocolate Coating: Combine the chocolate and oil (I used coconut) in a medium heat-proof bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water and stir until melted and smooth. Alternatively, you may do this in two parts using a Pyrex mixing cup, microwaving at 50% power and stirring occasionally until melted and smooth. Transfer to a small (deep) bowl, and let cool to room temperature.
- Holding each cupcake by its bottom, quickly dip each cupcake straignt into the chocolate to coat the white icing and place on a wire rack. Let the cupcakes stand at room temperature 15 minutes, then refrigerate for 30 minutes uncovered (I put mine directly in the refrigerator).
Notes
For the chocolate, I experimented with a few different kinds. First, I used 4 oz of Dove Dark and 1 tablespoon of coconut oil. This created a topping that was firm, but got a little too soft at room temperature. Dove tends to do that. For the second batch I used Guittard chocolate chips. The chocolate mixture was, as expected, thicker and didn't coat as evenly. The best results were with a mixture of melted Ghirardelli bittersweet chocolate and coconut oil. The topping solidified in the refrigerator and did not get too soft when left at room temperature.