Chocolate Paradise

If you know me at all you know one of my most favorite gifts to receive are cookbooks. Baking cookbooks to be exact. Recently my sweet and adorable friend Katie and I got together for dinner and drinks. She was so thoughtful to bring me a new cupcake cookbook that she saw in a store and thought of me! Its fabulous and I love it, filled with some really creative cupcake ideas! So thank you, lady!

While back in my hometown enjoying the Easter holiday with my family I decided it would be the perfect time to try out my new cookbook. I found the most delightful recipe for Chocolate Paradise Cupcakes. It was a chocolate cake batter with a marshmallow coconut frosting. YUM
I started by creating a double boiler on the oven. This is pretty simple to do, you just need a large saucepan filled only with about a cup of water. Bring that to a boil then slip a smaller sauce pan inside that. This allows the ingredients inside the sauce pan to come to a slower boil and doesn't burn them. Ingredient like chocolate can be so easily burned quickly.
I filled my small sauce pan with a few squares of semi sweet baking chocolate, milk and cocoa powder.

Unfortunately being in my parents house I did not have the luxury of my Kitchenaid mixer. I had to use my mothers "Wannabe" Mixer! Which ended up to be a disaster so I quickly switched to the hand held mixer. Yes, I am a Kitchenaid snob. (sorry mom). While the chocolate was melting I put the butter and brown sugar into a bowl to be mixed until fluffy. Then gradually added my eggs and mixed it together.

My chocolate was nice and melted by the time the butter and brown sugar was mixed.

I slowly added my delicious looking chocolate mixture to my butter, sugar and egg mixture. Then also added a small amount of sour cream. I have added sour cream to a couple of cakes in the past, it makes them super moist.

Then I slowly sifted together my flour and baking soda. I then gently added this to my batter. I folded it in, making sure not to over stir it.

The batter looked like chocolate mouse! It was so delicious to. I spooned it into my cupcake pan and into the oven they went for about 18 minutes. They needed to be firm to the touch.

While those were baking I started on my frosting. This called for another double boiler. In the small sauce pan you melt about 16 marshmallows with a little bit of milk. 

While the marshmallows were melting I started to mix up some heavy cream. You have to mix the cream until it is stiff and will form stiff peaks. Basically a whole made whipped cream.

Once the marshmallows are melted set them aside to cool before mixing them with the whipped cream.

Once the marshmallows have cooled fold them into the heavy cream gently, and add a little bit of coconut. This will need be to refrigerated for a while. The recipe called for 30 minutes, this definitely was not enough. I actually allowed it to sit in the refrigerator over night before frosting my beautiful cupcakes!

The cake came out gorgeous. They were so moist and fluffy. Like I said before I let the cakes and the frosting sit over night before frosting them.

Once they were finally frosted they were a little slice of paradise! The marshmallow, coconut frosting complimented the chocolate cake nicely.
What a delight. <3

Chocolate Paradise Cupcakes
Ingredients:
3 oz Semisweet chocolate broken into pieces
4tbs milk
1 tbs unsweetened cocoa
1/2 cup butter softened
generous 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
2 extra large eggs
3 tbs sour cream
1 1/3 cup all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda

Frosting
16 white marshmallows
3 tbs milk
1 1/4 cup heavy cream
generous 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes

Preheat oven to 350. Put 16 paper liners into shallow muffin pans

Place the chocolate, milk and cocoa in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water and heat until the chocolate has melted. Remove from heat and stir until smooth

Place the butter and brown sugar in a large bowl and beat together until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in the eggs, then beat in the melted chocolate mixture and sour cream. Sift in the flour and baking soda and, using a metal spoon fold in gently.

Spoon the batter into the paper liners. Bake in the preheated oven for 18-20 minutes, or until risen and firm to the touch. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool

To make the topping place the marshmallows and milk in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water. Let heat until marshmallows have melted stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and let cool. Whip the cream until holding firm peaks, then fold into the marshmallow mixture with 1/3 cup of coconut. Cover and let chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Spread the topping on top of the cupcakes. Sprinkle over the remaining coconut.

Recipe adapted from The Cupcake by Food Love