***Note: I made these cupcakes with gluten free-flour. For those with a wheat/gluten sensitivity, they turned out really well. If you don't have a sensitivity, you can just substitute the regular flour back in.
Ingredients:
Cupcakes:
2 cups gluten-free all purpose baking flour
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter (room temperature, not soft)
4 eggs
1 tablespoon espresso powder
1 cup made coffee
2 teaspoons vanilla
3/4 cup toffee bits
Chocolate Ganache:
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1-2 cups of toffee bits (use your judgment)
Frosting:
5 egg whites
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon vanilla
4 sticks unsalted butter (room temperature, not soft, separated into tablespoons)
1/3 cup Hershey's caramel topping
Directions: Makes 28 cupcakes
Cupcakes:
1. Preheat the oven to 350F and line 3 cupcake pans with paper liners.
2. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, espresso powder, cocoa powder, salt, and baking soda.
3. In a larger bowl, combine the butter and sugar. Beat together (with either a hand mixer or a standing mixer) on high speed until the mixture becomes light and fluffy. It may take between 3-4 minutes.
4. Next, beat in the eggs to the sugar and butter, one at a time. Also blend in the vanilla.
5. If you're using a hand mixer like I did, you may need another set of hands for this next step. While blending the large bowl ingredients on low speed, add in the dry ingredients in three installations. Alternate with adding the brewed coffee. Begin and end with the dry ingredients.
6. Fold in the toffee bits.
7. Scoop the batter evenly into the cupcake pans. Bake between 16-20 minutes, until they pass the toothpick test. Let the pans cool before removing the cupcakes.
Chocolate Ganache:
1. Place chopped chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl.
2. Pour the heavy cream into a saucepan and bring to a simmer.
3. Quickly remove the saucepan from the heat so it doesn't burn, and pour over the chopped chocolate. Let this stand 2 minutes.
4. Whisk together the milk and chocolate until a ganache forms. Then, whisk in the butter 1 tablespoon at a time until completely blended.
5. Place the bowl in the refrigerator or freezer. Whisk every 5 minutes until the consistency thickens.
6. Transfer a third of the ganache into a ziploc bag. Cut the tip of one of the bottom corners. (If you have a pastry bag and know how to use that, go ahead! I find the ziploc easier.) Repeat with two more ziploc bags and the rest of the ganache.
7. Squeeze two rings of ganache onto the top of each cupcake, leaving space for the frosting in the middle.
8. Place the toffee bits in a bowl and dip each ganache-topped cake to coat.
Frosting:
1. Whisk together the egg whites and sugar in another heatproof bowl. Set it over a saucepan of boiling water. Whisk frequently until the sugar has completely dissolved.
2. Pour the egg and sugar mixture into a large mixing bowl and beat on high until stiff peaks form (like the batter of a meringue cookie).
3. On medium speed, beat in the butter 2 tablespoons at a time. The mixture will start to look curdled, but keep beating and it will eventually thicken and smooth.
4. Blend in the salt, caramel topping, and vanilla until completely combined.
5. Use your favorite frosting method! Whether it be a ziploc bag, pastry bag with tip, just a plain old spoon, or some other fun way that I don't know about yet, frost the rest of the cupcake with this delicious buttercream.
Now that your cupcakes are assembled...enjoy one! You deserve it! And share with your friends!
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