Cupcake 5 chocolates

The Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Chips:

* 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, room temperature
* 1-1/4 cups sugar
* 2 large eggs, room temperature
* 3/4 cup flour
* 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
* 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
* 1/2 cup milk
* 1 teaspoons vanilla
* 2/3 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

Beat butter until softened. Add sugar and beat until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until well combined. Measure the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder into a small sized bowl and whisk to combine. Measure out the milk and vanilla and stir to combine. Add about a third of the dry ingredients to the butter/sugar and beat to combine. Add about a half of the milk/vanilla and beat to combine. Continue adding, alternating between dry and wet and finishing with the dry. Stir in chocolate chips. Scoop batter into cupcake cups about 1/2 full. Bake at 350 degrees for 22-25 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.


The Chocolate Mousse Filling:

You can fill these cupcakes with any chocolate mousse recipe you like. I strongly recommend trying a homemade chocolate mousse.

To fill the cupcakes, use a small paring knife to cut a cone into the cupcake. Spoon or pipe (I found piping to be easier) chocolate mousse into the hole. Replace the top. Don't worry if the top of the cupcake doesn't look pretty any more, you are going to frost over it so no one will know the difference.



The Dark Chocolate Ganache

* 3.5 oz of dark chocolate broken into small pieces (I used Patric chocolate)
* 1/3 C heavy cream

Place the chocolate in a small glass bowl. Heat the cream in a small saucepan until it just starts to boil. Pour the cream over the chocolate and stir until all the chocolate is melted and integrated with the cream. While it is still warm, spread a thin layer of it over the cupcakes. It will harden when it cools.


The White Chocolate Drizzle:

White chocolate drizzle is so pretty and professional looking, and it is so easy to do.

Melt 2 ounces of white chocolate. You can do this on the stove, but I find it easier to do in the microwave. I do it for 20 seconds at a time. Stir after each round. When it is all melted, you are done. It should take about a minute.

Pour the melted chocolate into a plastic sandwich bag or a disposable pastry bag. Cut a very small hole at the tip of the bag and draw whatever kind of funky pattern you want onto your cupcakes!