Fauxstess Cupcakes

Sometimes you just need a break.  Right Izzy?  A break from life on the first floor to explore the carpeted realm of the stairs and beyond.  Until she peed in Luke’s office.  Twice.  In one night.  I think someone was upset that her mom forgot to give her fresh hay in a reasonable timeframe.  What a fresh bunny we have.

But I’m talking about a different kind of break.  Yes, August is peach month and I’m sure you’ve seen enough posts about what to do with your 80 pounds of peaches you just couldn’t resist getting at the farmer’s market.

Well, there won’t be any of that here today.  I need a break.  A break from peaches and stone fruit, a break from zucchini and squash, because honestly, I can only eat so much of it before I’m thankful their season is over.

So let’s make something unseasonal.  Or rather, something that’s always in season.  Chocolate’s popularity never waxes and wanes; its versatility manifested in its ability to lend its flavors to other dishes while still remaining distinct.

I thought about a chocolate peach dessert.  I thought about it long and hard, but in the end decided I just wanted chocolate.  And marshmallow fluff.  Because that never goes out of style either, right?

Fauxstess Cupcakes

Adapted from Annie’s Eats

Makes 24-26 cupcakes

For the cake:
1¾ cups plus 2 Tbsp cake flour
1 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
1½ tsp baking powder
¾ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
6 large eggs at room temperature, separated
1 cup canola oil
1¾ cups plus 2 Tbsp sugar, divided
6 Tbsp water

For the filling and frosting swirl:
2 cups marshmallow fluff
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
¾ cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted
pinch of salt
½ tsp cream or milk

For the chocolate glaze:
5 oz bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
½ cup plus 2 Tbsp heavy cream

To make the cupcakes, preheat oven to 350˚ F.  Line cupcake pans with paper liners.  In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  In a large bowl, combine the egg yolks, canola oil, 1½ cups of the sugar and the water.  Whisk to blend well.  Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, mixing just until incorporated.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, whip the egg whites on medium-high speed until foamy.  Continue beating, gradually adding in the remaining 6 Tbsp of sugar, until stiff, glossy peaks form.  Add a quarter of the egg white mixture to the bowl with the batter to lighten.  Gently fold in the remaining egg whites until the batter is smooth and no streaks remain.

Divide the batter between the prepared cupcake liners, filling each about three-quarters full.  Bake until the cupcakes spring back when lightly pressed, about 16-18 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through baking.  Allow to cool in the pan about 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the filling, combine the marshmallow fluff and butter in a large bowl and beat until smooth.  Blend in the confectioners’ sugar and salt and whip until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 1-2 minutes more.  Transfer the majority of the filling mixture to a pastry bag fitted with a medium round tip (about ½” wide), reserving ½ cup in the mixing bowl.  Blend in the cream to the reserved filling mixture to make it smooth for piping the swirl on top of the cupcake.  Transfer this to another pastry bag fitted with a small round tip (like the kind you’d use to write words with). Chill until ready to use.

Fill the cupcakes by inserting the pastry tip directly into the center of each cupcake and squeezing in a dollop of the marshmallow mixture.  If excess filling comes out of the top, just scrape it off with a knife so the top of the cupcake is essentially smooth.

Make the chocolate glaze by placing the chopped chocolate in a small bowl.  Bring the cream to a simmer in a small saucepan or the microwave.  Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let stand 1-2 minutes.  Whisk together until a smooth ganache forms.  Let cool briefly, about 5 minutes.  Take the cupcakes one at a time and invert them, dipping the top into the chocolate glaze.  Transfer them to a wire rack or baking sheet and let the glaze set.  (You can speed this process up by chilling in the refrigerator.)  Once the glaze is set, use the reserved portion of marshmallow frosting to pipe a uniform swirl across the top of each cupcake.  Store in an airtight container until ready to serve.