105 PAULA DEEN’S BEST CAKES & PIES
1 cup unsalted butter
1½ (4-ounce) bars semisweet
chocolate, chopped
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
4 large eggs
1¼ cups sugar
2 cups all-purpose fl our
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1½ cups whole buttermilk
Cherry Buttercream (recipe follows)- Preheat oven to 350°. Line 24 muffi n
cups with paper liners. - In a medium saucepan, cook butter,
chocolate, and cocoa over medium-low
heat, stirring frequently, until melted
and smooth. Remove from heat; let cool
for 15 minutes. - In a large bowl, beat eggs and sugar
with a mixer at high speed until thick
and pale. - In a medium bowl, whisk together
fl our, salt, baking powder, and baking
soda. With mixer on low speed,
gradually add fl our mixture to egg
mixture alternately with buttermilk,
beginning and ending with fl our
mixture, beating just until combined
after each addition. Stir in cooled
chocolate mixture. Spoon batter
into prepared muffi n cups, fi lling
two-thirds full.
5. Bake until a wooden pick
inserted in center comes out clean,
14 to 16 minutes. Let cool in pans for
10 minutes. Remove from pans, and
let cool completely on wire racks. Pipe
or spread Cherry Buttercream onto
cupcakes. Cover and refrigerate for
up to 3 days.
Cherry Buttercream
Makes about 4 cups1½ cups sugar
6 egg whites
2 cups unsalted butter, softened
¼ cup maraschino cherry syrup- In the top of a double boiler, whisk
together sugar and egg whites until
combined. Cook over simmering
water, without stirring, until mixture
registers 140° on a candy thermometer.
Immediately pour mixture into the bowl
of a stand mixer fi tted with the whisk
attachment, and beat at high speed for
10 minutes. - Reduce mixer speed to medium-low.
Add butter, 2 tablespoons at a time,
beating just until combined after each
addition. Beat in cherry syrup until
combined. Store at room temperature
until ready to use.
Dark Chocolate Cupcakes
with Cherry Buttercream
Makes 24