A Chocolate Indulgence

I think celebrating three notable birthdays today deserves a  noteworthy recipe. I wrote a post on Feb 5, 2011 on velvet cake called It's Red...Really Red. So this year I took another look at a different red velvet recipe called Chocolate-Filled Red Velvet Cupcakes. As I got more into the recipe directions and enjoying every gooey bite of a baked cupcake made me think of lava cakes. Try to serve warm to enjoy the richness of the chocolate center.
This recipe was a winner for me!


The first photo shows the batter and what the placement of chocolate ball looks like 

Chocolate Truffle Filled Red Velvet Cupcakes

Adapted from BHG February issue 2012

Cook’s note: If you are short on time for baking this Valentine’s Day this recipe can be adapted. Use a box of chocolate cake mix following manufacture’s directions instead of the chocolate batter recipe below. But follow the steps for chocolate filling and adding the firm chocolate ball mixture to cupcake batter.  I added * to those steps needed. This recipe comes out like mini lava cakes and a perfect dessert for the holiday. Preparation time 30 minutes.

Ingredients:

• 1-cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• ¼ cup whipping cream
• ¼ cup plus 1 TB. butter
• 1 large egg
• 1-cup flour
• 3 tsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1-cup flour
• ¾ cup sugar
• 1 tsp. red food coloring (recipe called for 2 tsp. but I cut back)
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• ½ cup buttermilk
• ½ tsp. baking soda
• ½ tsp. vinegar
• 1 TB. Kahlua

Directions:

*Chocolate Filling:

• In a small saucepan combine chocolate pieces, cream and 1 TB. butter
• Stir over low heat till chocolate is melted and add in Kahlua
• Place mixture in a small bowl and put in freezer for an hour till fudge-like consistency
• After an hour take out and roll into 12 balls-place on wax paper and put back into freezer to keep firm while preparing batter

Batter:

• Using a muffin tin line each with a cupcake cup holder. The recipe said makes 12 but I got 8 out of the batter with 4 extra chocolate balls left over.  Note: The extra chocolate by itself will satisfy your chocolate cravings and WILL not go to wasted :)
• In a small bowl place flour, cocoa and ¼ tsp. salt-set aside
• In mixing bowl beat ¼ cup softened butter till smooth
• Add sugar and beat again and add egg, food coloring and vanilla and mix again
• Alternately add flour mixture, egg mixture and buttermilk beating on low after each addition
• In a bowl add vinegar and baking soda-will fizz (just like school volcanoes) and stir into to batter 
• Divide half the batter into prepared muffin cups
• *Drop 1 chocolate ball from freezer into each muffin cup center with batter
• Cover each muffin cup with remaining batter
• Bake at 375 for 17 minutes check top should spring back when lightly touched
• Recipe called for topping using raspberry preserves but other options are ice cream or whip cream
• Another option for the chocolate balls would be to add chambord (raspberry liqueur) instead of Kahlua