Cupcakes for special days

Delish devil's food cake, creamy chocolate ganache filling, topped with white chocolate buttercream frosting.

I seriously don't think that I could say anymore that would entice you enough to want to try these cupcakes. This was the birthday flavor of the month. A definite must make again recipe (as if any of the recipes I post I wouldn't make again). The ganache turns into this thick creamy center in the cupcake kind of like a chocolate truffle. It's sinfully delicious and makes you want another one. Luckily all of these were pretty much designated to be given to people, otherwise I would not have let one of these tastey cakes go to waste.

Cupcake Recipe

11⁄2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1⁄2 teaspoons salt

1 package of instant devils food pudding (only the powder)

11⁄2 cup buttermilk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1teaspoon almond extract

1⁄2 cup room temperature butter

3⁄4 cup sugar

2 eggs

Preheat oven to 350°

Whisk together flour, baking powder, pudding powder and salt. Cut vanilla bean lengthwise and then using the blunt edge of your knife scrape out the vanilla bean. Separately mix milk and vanilla bean and extract, set aside.

With an electric mixer in a large bowl combine butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time allowing each to incorporate well before moving on to the next ingredient.

Incorporate the dry ingredients and milk by alternating: half of the dry ingredients and half of the milk.

Use a small ice cream scoop for the cupcake batter. It makes the perfect size cupcakes.

Bake for 18 minutes until toothpick comes out clean.

Frosting Recipe

1⁄2 cup shortening (I used a Crisco stick because it's easier to measure)

1 stick butter (1/2 cup), room temperature

4 cups confectioners sugar

2-4 tablespoons whole milk

1 tablespoons vanilla extract

1 cup melted white chocolate

I used Wilton's Candy Melts for the white chocolate because all of the colored candy melts (except the regular chocolate) is just white chocolate. The Candy Melts melt nice and smooth, too.

In a stand mixer, beat the shortening and butter together, add the cooled melted chocolate and beat at low speed 1-2 on a KitchenAid stand mixer. Incorporate the sugar gradually, 1 cup at a time. Once sugar is incorporated (it will look dry) add the milk, 1 tablespoon at a time until you get the consistency you like. It will be about 2-3 tablespoon for a medium consistency.

Cover with a wet cloth while not in use, or place in the fridge if you plan on using it much later.

Ganache filling recipe

11⁄2 cup heavy cream

15 ounce semi-sweet chocolate chips, or coarsely chopped

Place chocolate in a heat proof bowl. In a saucepan heat the cream just before it reaches a boil. Pour the cream over the chocolate and allow the chocolate to melt and the mixture is smooth.

Now you need to completely cool the ganache either in the freezer for a few hours or overnight in the refrigerator covered.

Once completely cooled whip the ganache with a whisk or using a hand or stand mixer.

Assembly

Using a cupcake filling tip on a decorating bag, fill the bag with filling then inject the cupcakes with the filling.

Or use this method:

Using a small sharp knife with a narrow blade, Insert the knife about 1-inch into a cooled cupcake at an angle, halfway between the center and outside edge. Cut out a circular cone of cake. Remove the cone and slice off the pointy end, leaving the circular top (the top of the cupcake). Using a pastry bag, or ziploc bag with the corner cut off, put filling into the hole in the cupcake and pop the flat circle of cake back into the place.

To decorate use the coupler only (without a decorating tip) and pipe the frosting in a circular motion. I sprinkled some black sugar flakes I found at Michael's Art and Craft store.

• Amanda Skiba is passionate about cooking and posts her favorite recipes at http://www.stuffurface.wordpress.com.