Dessert Thursday

Well you do need something special for dessert today like I do?  Something to keep a feel good feeling alive after being left on an edge until September.  I think this just  screams for Danno and Monkey time, because little girls and sweets go hand in hand.  




So what can we make for out little girl, the perfect little treat, that is if we can keep uncle Steve out of the frosting.  Actually maybe we should get him to bake the treats to guarantee Grace will be able to enjoy her special gift.  Let's face it who would let her down? 




Today's dessert is a  Chocolate Créme-de-Menthe cupcakes, that for an added treat are decorated with mint candies.  These cupcakes are super rich, and are filled with a light green créme-de-menthe then  covered in a dark chocolate frosting. 


Chocolate Créme-de-Menthe Cupcakes

Cupcakes
1 cup unsifted, unsweetened cocoa
2 cups boiling water
2-1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour, sift before measuring
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 cup butter, softened
2-1/2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1-1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Creme-de-Menthe Filling
3 Tbsp butter, softened
1-3/4 cups unsifted confectioners' sugar
3 Tbsp green créme-de-menthe

Dark Chocolate Frosting
3oz semisweet chocolate pieces
1/4 cup light cream
1/4 cup butter
1-1/4 cups unsifted confectioners' sugar
chocolate-coated square mints for decoration

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray and line cupcake pans. 
2. In a medium bowl, combine cocoa with boiling water, mixing with wire whisk until smooth. Cool completely. Sift flour with soda, salt, and baking powder.  
3. Beat butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla in large bowl with electric mixer at high speed until light, about 5 minutes. At low speed, beat in flour mixture (in fourths), alternately with cocoa mixture (in thirds), beginning and ending with flour mixture. Fill cupcake pans. 
4. Bake layers 20 to 30 minutes or until surface springs back when gently pressed with fingertip or until a cake tester inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool in pans for 10 minutes. Remove cakes from pans and cool completely on wire racks.

Creme-de-Menthe Filling

1. In a small bowl, beat 3 tablespoons butter, sugar, and 3 tablespoons créme-de-menthe with an electric mixer until smooth and fluffy. 
2. To fill a cupcake, you will need an icing set or a pastry set with an icing tip for injecting the filling.  Or I find using a knife to cut a hole out of the bottom, fill with cream and replace with cake.  

Dark Chocolate Frosting

1. In medium saucepan, combine chocolate pieces, cream and butter; stir over medium heat until smooth. Remove from heat. With wire whisk, blend in confectioners' sugar. Turn into bowl placed over ice; beat until frosting holds its shape.
2. Frost top of cupcakes, cut mints in half diagonally and use to decorate the cupcakes.