Triple Chocolate Delirium Cupcakes

The breakdown: deep, dark chocolate cupcakes, stuffed with fluffy chocolate mousse, and adorned with rich chocolate ganache.

AKA Triple Chocolate Delirium Cupcakes.

Sweet Jesus! Have you ever seen so much chocolate stuffed into such a tiny surface area? Heed my warning: your head will explode from the mind-blowing triple dose of pure chocolate potency present in these Triple Chocolate Delirium Cupcakes. If ever there was a food that had the potential to match the effects of mind-altering substances, then it would be chocolate. And with so much of it concentrated into one petite yet powerful cupcake, you know you’re about to get high…on chocolate.

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, food is my drug of choice, and chocolate is what I consider to be the “hard stuff.” I’ll pass when it comes to smoking and drinking; just give me one of these Triple Chocolate Delirium Cupcakes to inhale, and that will curb my cravings just fine.

These are, quite simply, incredible. I baked them for a co-worker’s wife birthday, and he said, and I quote, “They sent waves of chocolatey joy throughout my small kingdom.” I ain’t exaggerating when I tell you these cupcakes are amazing: super duper moist chocolate cake (the moistest ever!), with deep, intense chocolate flavor. The layer of velvety chocolate ganache on top sends the level of chocolate intensity in these cupcakes through the roof, while the light & creamy chocolate mousse inside balances out all that richness. It’s chocolate divinity, my friends.

Start the weekend right. Make these euphoria-inducing cupcakes ASAP.

A Few Tips Before You Get Cooking:

1. The key to a moist cake is to not over-bake. You should pull them when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a bit of crumb, not when the toothpick is clean like many recipes say.
2. Scared to fill cupcakes? It’s actually crazy easy. You’ll slap yourself for not trying it sooner. I’ve got a photo breakdown below, but you can also check out a step-by-step how-to video here.
3. You can whip the ganache once it’s set to create a fluffy frosting.
4. Cupcakes freeze very well.
5. I made the little fondant cut-outs using mini cookie cutters. Super simple!
6. Stop back next week to see something else delicious to do with the chocolate mousse.

Triple Chocolate Delirium Cupcakes

Ingredients:

For the Cupcakes
Chocolate cake recipe adapted from The Pastry Queen

• 1 stick (1/2 cup) butter
• 1 cups water
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup dark cocoa powder
• 1/4 cup regular cocoa powder
• 2 cups flour
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1 tsp. + 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract

For the Ganache
Adapted from allrecipes.com

*I know it sounds like a lot of chocolate, but unless you intend to whip up the ganache into a frosting, you need the whole recipe

• 18 oz. good-quality chocolate, 12 oz. 70% cacao and 6 oz. milk chocolate (I used Lindt)
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

For the Chocolate Mousse
By the Smart Cookie Cook

• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup mascarpone cheese, softened
• 2 tbsp. cocoa powder, sifted
• 1 tbsp. vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar, sifted

Directions:

1. Make the ganache: Chop the chocolate into small bits. Place the chocolate in a large, heat-proof bowl. Heat the cream in a small sauce pan over medium heat. Bring just to a boil then immediately remove from heat andpour over the chopped chocolate. Let sit for a minute then whisk until completely smooth. Whisk in the vanilla. Let sit until slightly cooled, then cover and refrigerate until it starts to firm up. You want a thick, but creamy & spreadable texture. Don’t let it completely solidify, or you won’t be able to spread it.
2. Make the cupcakes: preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Fill two cupcake tins with cupcake liners. Set aside.
3. In a small saucepan over medium heat, cook the butter, water, and oil until butter is melted. Remove from heat and set aside. In a separate bowl, stir together the sugar, cocoa powders, and flour. Whisk in the butter mixture until completely smooth. Then whisk in the eggs one at a time, followed by the buttermilk. Finally, whisk in the baking soda, salt, and vanilla. Make sure you stir the baking soda in well so you don’t wind up with chunks of it in the finished cupcakes.
4. Fill the cupcake tins 3/4 full. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a bit of crumb. Let cupcakes cool in tins for 10 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
5. While the cupcakes cool, make the mousse. Use a hand mixer to beat the mascarpone for 30 seconds, just to soften it up more. Add the cream, cocoa powder, vanilla, and sugar. Beat until stiff peaks form. Stir well with a spatula to make sure the ingredients are well blended. Cover and refrigerate until cupcakes are completely cool and ready to fill.
6. Fill the cupcakes: use a serrated knife to carve a cone out of the center of the cupcake. Angle the knife to create the cone shape; if you just cut straight down, the piece won’t come out. Leave about a 1/4-inch around the diameter. You should cut deep, but not all the way to the bottom.
7. Use the knife to gently lift out the cone cut-out. Cut off the tip of the cone so you’ll be able to fit it back on after filling the cupcake. You may use a spoon to dig out more of the cupcake if you’d like. Using a spoon, a piping bag, or a makeshift piping bag using a ziplock bag with a corner cut off, fill each cupcake with the chocolate mousse. Be generous, but leave just a little room at the top to put the topper back on. Stick the cupcake topper you cut out back onto the hole and press in.
8. Once the ganache is set but still spreadable, spread onto each cupcake. Decorate however you’d like and enjoy! Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Let cupcakes sit at room temperature 1 hour before serving.

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