Devil's Food Spiderweb Cupcakes (recipe from Martha Stewart)
Ingredients:
3/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder (I used unsweetened Hershey's cocoa powder)
3/4 cup hot water
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/4 teaspoons coarse salt (I used Kosher salt)
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter
2 1/4 cups sugar
4 large eggs, room temperature
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup sour cream, room temperature
Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Whisk together cocoa and hot water until smooth. In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Melt butter with sugar in a saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring to combine. Remove from heat, and pour into a mixing bowl. With an electric mixer on medium-low speed (I used my hand mixer), beat until mixture is cooled, 4 to 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Add vanilla, then cocoa mixture, and beat until combined. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture in two batches, alternating with the sour cream, and beating until just combined after each. Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three- quarters full. Frosting: I cheated and used a store bought vanilla frosting. I frosted each cupcake once they were cooled and then piped on a circle swirl of chocolate frosting. Then with a toothpick I dragged the frosting from the middle of the cupcake to the end to create the look of a spiderweb. My Review: They took a while to make, I am not going to lie. There are a lot of steps during the mixing process. They were delicious though and a huge hit at the party I brought them to. I don't think I would make them again though, however I will definitely do the spiderweb frosting trick next Halloween. That part was so easy.
Re: My Cupcakes
They look great! I've seen them around, but always think the frosting part is too putzy. It sounds like this was one of the easiest parts for you!
SO EASY! And everyone though they were store bought at the party. Which I took as a compliment.
They turned out great! I'm not a huge devils food fan but I love the spider web on the top.