IronCupcake_007: Mocha Cappucino Hi-Hats

Iron Cupcake:Earth
Theme: Coffee
My entry: Mocha Cappucino Hi-Hats
Voting begins: Sunday, March 1 at 8 pm Central @ http://mkecupcakequeen.blogspot.com/ and will be open through Friday, March 6 at 12 noon Central.


These cupcakes are freakin good! I'm not just saying that. It was the consensus Tuesday night from every "wing nighter" that these are the best cupcakes I've ever served. Hurray! That makes them a perfect contender for my first (you hear that right, FIRST) entry for IronCupcake: Earth this month! I started with my favorite chocolate cupcakes, Hershey's "Perfectly Chocolate" cupcakes. I added about a tablespoon of instant coffee granules to the batter. Then I topped the cupcakes with Swiss meringue (just the meringue... not buttercream), to which I added more instant coffee granules. To finish them off, I dunked them in melted chocolate. This was my first time making hi-hats, and I had heard horror stories about the frosting falling off into the chocolate. Luck was on my side, though, because I didn't lose any frosting to the chocolate pit of death!

My meringue got a little grainy, OOPS! *DUN DUN DUN* Chocolate pit of death!
Hurray for bad lighting!
Meet Mr. Mocha Cappucino Hi-Hat!
Isn't he fancy??

Hershey's "Perfectly Chocolate" Cupcakes (I halved this and got exactly 15)
Makes 30 regular cupcakes OR 96 mini cupcakes

2 cups sugar
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water (I dissolved 1 Tbsp of instant coffee into the boiling water for half a recipe)

Line muffin cups with paper baking cups. Heat oven to 350°F.
Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Fill cups 2/3 full with batter.
Bake 18-22 minutes (mine were done at 17) or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely on wire rack before frosting.

Coffee Meringue (adapted from Cupcakes! by Elinor Klivans)
Makes enough for 15-18 cupcakes

1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
1/4 cup water
3 egg whites
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
1 Tbsp hot water
2 tsp instant coffee granules

Put sugar, water, egg whites, and cream of tartar into the top of a double boiler over a pan of simmering water. Whisking constantly, cook until sugar has dissolved and mixture is warm (about 160 degrees). Pour heated egg whites into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat egg white mixture on high speed until it forms stiff (but not dry) peaks, about 7 minutes. Meanwhile, stir instant coffee into hot water until dissolved. Reduce mixer speed to low and add coffee mixture.

Chocolate Coating (This makes a LOT, but you need the chocolate to be deep enough to dip all the cupcakes)
2 cups (12 oz) semi-sweet chocolate chips
3 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil

Put the chocolate and oil in a heatproof bowl or the top of a double boiler and place it over a pot of barely simmering water. Stir until the chocolate is just melted. Scrape it into a bowl and cool slightly, about 15 minutes.



Overall rating on a scale of 1-5
Moistness: 5
Tenderness: 5
Frosting: 5

Prizes provided by Etsy artists:
DIANAEVANS
A pair of cupcake earrings from LOTS OF SPRINKLES
Also, CAKESPY, who is now going to be doing a piece for our winner each month until further notice!
SWEET CUPPIN CAKES BAKERY AND CUPCAKERY SUPPLY will be tossing in another treat as well.
Corporate prize providers:
HEAD CHEFS by FIESTA PRODUCTS
HELLO CUPCAKE by Karen Tack and Alan Richardson
JESSIE STEELE APRONS
CUPCAKE COURIER
TASTE OF HOME books
UPWITHCUPCAKES.COM
Iron Cupcake:Earth is sponsored in part by 1-800-Flowers