Hi Hat Cupcakes

By Caryl

A top hat on a true gentleman sets him apart from the rest of the crowd. Topping a cupcake with miles of marshmallow and creamy chocolate coating sets it apart from the usual, elevating the humble cupcake to new heights.

From King Arthur Flour

Ingredients

• Cupcakes
• 18 chocolate cupcakes, baked from your favorite mix or recipe
• Bake Sale Fudge Cupcakes
• 1 cup Dutch-process cocoa
• 2 1/3 cups King Arthur Unbleached All Purpose Flour
• 1 2/3 cups brown sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon espresso powder, optional but tasty
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons King Arthur Cake Enhancer, optional but good for texture and freshness
• 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips
• 3 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon vinegar, cider or white
• 1/2 cup melted butter
• Marshmallow Topping
• 3/4 cup boiling water
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup meringue powder
• Chocolate Dip
• 2 cups chopped chocolate
• 3 tablespoon vegetable oil

Details

Servings 18
Adapted from kingarthurflour.com

Preparation

Step 1

Cupcakes-
1) Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line two standard 12-cup muffin pans with paper or silicone muffin cups, and grease the cups.

2) In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the cocoa, flour, sugar, baking powder, espresso powder, baking soda, salt, Cake Enhancer, and chocolate chips. Set aside.

3) In a large measuring cup or medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, and vanilla. Stir this mixture into the dry ingredients.

4) Stir in the vinegar, then the melted butter.

5) Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin pans, filling the cups about 3/4 full.

6) Bake the cupcakes for 18 to 20 minutes, or until a cake tester or toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean.

7) Remove the cupcakes from the oven, and tilt them in the cups so their bottoms don't steam. As soon as you can handle them remove them from the pan, and transfer to a rack to cool. Store cooled cupcakes airtight.

Yield: 24 cupcakes.

1) Prepare, bake, and cool 18 chocolate cupcakes. If your recipe makes 24 cupcakes, you won't have enough topping for the extra six; just consider them your bakers' bonus!

2) Mix the boiling water and sugar, stirring until the sugar is dissolved completely. Set aside to cool to room temperature.

3) In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the cooled sugar water with 1/4 cup of meringue powder to very stiff peaks. This will take up to 15 minutes, depending on the mixer.

4) Using a piping bag, pipe tall swirls of meringue onto each cupcake. The look will be similar to that of a soft-serve ice cream cone. Once all of the cupcakes are topped, place them in the freezer for several hours to firm up.

5) To make the dip, melt the chopped chocolate over low heat or in the microwave. Add the vegetable oil and stir until smooth. Let cool to room temperature.

6) To dip, pour the chocolate dip into a tall glass or container. Invert the frozen cupcake, and dip straight down. Just dip to the bottom edge of the marshmallow; don't dip the cupcake itself. Hold briefly over the glass to drain excess chocolate.

7) Allow the chocolate to set on the cupcakes at room temperature, or return to the freezer to speed up the process. Return to room temperature for 10 minutes before serving.