Snowball Marshmallow Cakes

By lbgtdep

12 cakes

Ingredients

• For the Cupcakes:
• 1 cup flour
• 6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup hot coffee or hot water (see Ingredient Note)
• For the Filling:
• 4 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 cup marshmallow fluff
• 2 teaspoons milk
• For the Marshmallow & Coconut Coating:
• 1 packet gelatin (1 tablespoon)
• 1/2 cup cold water, divided
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 bag (14 ounces) sweetened flaked coconut
• 2 to 3 drops red food coloring, if desired for pink flakes

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 12-cup muffin tin and set aside.
For the Cupcakes:
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt until well combined. Add oil, sugar, egg, buttermilk and vanilla and beat at medium speed until batter is smooth. Add hot coffee or hot water, depending on preference (see Ingredient Note) and beat for an additional minute. Batter will be thin. Pour into prepared tin, filling about 3/4 full. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes. Cupcakes are done when center springs back to touch and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Allow cupcakes to cool completely before filling.
For the Filling:
Beat together butter, sugar and fluff until smooth and creamy, adding milk a teaspoon at a time until you reach desired consistency. Fill piping bag fitted with small round tip with filling. Fill cupcakes by inserting tip into center and watching for top to expand while piping, or, by coring part of top, filling and replacing top portion of core. Top will be bottom of finished cake. Set aside on parchment paper for coating.
For the Marshmallow & Coconut Coating:
Add gelatin powder to small bowl containing 1/4 cup of cold water and set aside. Add sugar and remaining 1/4 cup water to saucepan over medium heat and stir until sugar is fully dissolved. Add reserved gelatin mixture and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. As mixture reaches an even boil it will start to expand. Take pan off heat and pour into a medium bowl. Allow mixture to cool down partially, about 15 to 20 minutes.
While mixture is cooling, chop flaked coconut to mimic fine texture of original Sno Ball, if desired. For pink tint, add coconut and a drop of red food coloring to large zip lock bag and shake until color is evenly distributed. Repeat for darker tint. Set aside.
Add vanilla and salt to slightly cooled gelatin mixture and beat on high speed with stand or hand mixer for 12 to 15 minutes, until marshmallow mixture is stiff and beater tracks maintain their shape. Place a large dollop of marshmallow on inverted cupcake (bottom is now top) and, using an offset spatula, smooth coating around top and sides to a 1/4- to 1/2-inch thickness. Place back on parchment. Coat with coconut, pressing flakes gently against marshmallow with fingers. Repeat with remaining cakes. Allow to set for at least an hour before serving.
Ingredient Note:
While many say you will not taste the coffee flavor, I can taste it even though mild. Although it gives the chocolate an additional intensity, it may add some bitterness, especially if you do not care for coffee. Feel free to use half water and half coffee for a mellow boost or use only hot water if you have a distaste for coffee.
Tip: Parchment or wax paper and an offset spatula are key to coating these little cakes successfully.