Iron Cupcake: Earth - Chocolate with a Twist!

Happy holidays everyone! This season is all about sharing and giving, so we give you...

We recently joined Iron Cupcake: Earth (similar to Iron Chef, but with cupcakes) and this month's ingredient challenge is Chocolate with a Twist! So we did some thinking... so many possibilities with chocolate! So what is our chocolate twist? Instead of the usual application of chocolate ganache, we are doing chocolate fondue! So what are some of the most common item for chocolate fondue? Fruits, candies, strawberries, and pound cake! So for our Iron Cupcake entry, we made white chocolate pound cupcakes frosted with strawberry buttercream dipped in chocolate fondue.

Above image: Baking powder, butter & sour cream, cream cheese & vanilla extract, salt, white chocolate, and sugar & eggs. This collage was featured on foodgawker!

Above image: White chocolate pound cupcake, batter in cupcake liner, empty egg shell, and stack of white chocolate.

White Chocolate Pound Cake

Recipe adapted from The Whimsical Bakehouse

(Makes 8 cups of batter)

2 sticks of unsalted butter

8 ounces of cream cheese

1 1/2 cups of sugar

2 tablespoons of sour cream

1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract

4 large eggs

2 1/4 cupcakes of cake flour

2 teaspoons of baking powder

1/4 teaspoon of salt

8 ounces of melted white chocolate

1. Preheat the oven to 180 C (350F) and have all ingredients at room temperature.
2. Using an electric mixer, beat the butter until it is light and fluffy. Add the cream cheese and continue mixing at high speed. Add the sugar and mix until it is light and fluffy again.
3. Add the sour cream and the vanilla extract, mixing at medium speed.
4. Add the eggs one at a time ensuring that they are mixed well before the next addition.
5. In another bowl, mix the cake flour, baking powder, and salt togther. Then add the dry ingredients with the wet mixture. Mix on low until smooth.
6. Fold in the melted white chocolate. Pour into pan and bake the cupcakes for 25-30 minutes (I recommend baking them without the cupcake liners). Cool the cupcakes in the pan for 10 minutes before removing them.

Above image: Strawberries ready to be made into buttercream. The strawberry photo was featured on Photograzing!

Strawberry Buttercream

(Makes about 2 cups)

1 stick of unsalted butter

2 cups of confectioner's sugar

1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract

5-8 strawberries

1. Cream the butter on medium speed until light and fluffy.
2. Add the confectioner's sugar and vanilla extract and mix on low speed until well blended.
3. Dice up the strawberries and mix on high until the buttercream is smooth and light.

Above image: Heavy cream and chocolate, chocolate fondue, and fondue burner.

Chocolate Fondue

(Chocolate ganache)

1/2 cup of chopped milk chocolate

1/2 cup of heavy cream

1. Heat the cream over a double boiler until it bubbles.
2. Place chopped chocolate in fondue pot.
3. Pour heated cream over the chocolate.
4. Let the mixture sit for about a minute and then whisk until smooth.
5. Allow the mixture to cool and enjoy!
6. Light the fondue burner when the mixture becomes too thick for dipping.

You can vote for us HERE until January 2nd at 12 noon Central time.

The winner will receive these awesome prizes:

• Original artwork from Etsy artist BETTY TURBO
  
• A pair of cupcake earrings from LOTS OF SPRINKLES
• Original artwork from Etsy artist CAKESPY by Jessie Oleson
• Cupcake pin cushions by Moda Home from SWEET CUPPIN CAKES BAKERY AND CUPCAKERY SUPPLY
• Head Chefs from FIESTA PRODUCTS
  
• HELLO, CUPCAKE, by Karen Tack and Alan Richardson
• Apron from JESSIE STEELE APRONS
• The CUPCAKE COURIER
• Cookbook from TASTE OF HOME

Iron Cupcake: Earth is sponsored by 1-800-Flowers.

You can also join in on the fun yourself! Click here to learn more about Iron Cupcake: Earth.