It’s summer and I’m sure the most of you are thinking chocolate is just too damn thick for this heat. Yes, I feel ya, that’s why I made it a chocolate and Biscoff cupcake with booze. The chocolate cupcake has Kahlua in it and the marbled fluff you see is a Biscoff frosting marbled with chocolate ganache. Then of course you know me and my heavy hand, I had to drizzle it with chocolate ganache and step it up another notch with some Skor shards and crumbles for added texture.
I should tell you, I’ve actually never had Biscoff until this weekend. Biscoff is like the new Nutella, at least it is in the blog world-or so it seems to me. Could I reduce that statement anymore? But it seems like everywhere I look there is a blog featuring a Biscoff dessert recipe.
So why am I just hopping on the bus? Well bloggers have a way of influencing us consumers, especially if the blogger is also a good friend of yours. In this case, Julie of this lovely blog, insisted that I give it a try. I relented. I love it. And now I made something with it, or more accurately – a few. Julie and I are doing a Biscoff week, so don’t forget to hop over to her blog to see her crazy good creation and check back with us later in the week for more Biscoff madness.
A few notes:
- Biscoff spread can be found at either Target, World Market or Amazon.
- The frosting I used is my Swiss Meringue buttercream since it is lighter in texture than American buttercream. For a step-by-step tutorial on how to make Swiss Meringue buttercream click here.
- For the shards, I used Skor candy bars, but Heath candy bars will work just as well or skip it all together if candy in desserts is not your thing.
- As always, I highly recommend Scharffen Berger’s Unsweetened Natural Cocoa Powder. It’s the best on the market and will make a huge difference in your baking results in terms of flavor.
Biscoff and Kahlua Crunch Cupcake
Makes 12 cupcakes | Preparation: Position a rack in the lower third of the oven. Heat the oven to 350 degrees.
Ingredients:
Chocolate Cupcake (adapted from Alice Medrich)
- 1 cup (4.5 ounces) all purpose flour
- 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (7.3 ounces) sugar
- 1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons (1.5 ounces) SCHARFFEN BERGER Unsweetened Natural Cocoa Powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and warm
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoon instant coffee (recommended: Starbucks Via)
- 1/2 cup Kahlua
Biscoff Frosting
- 5 large egg whites
- 11/2 cup sugar
- 4 sticks unsalted butter, diced and softened
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
- 1/4 cup of Biscoff spread
Chocolate pouring sauce
- 2/3 cups dark chocolate
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- 4 tablespoons powdered sugar, sifted
- 4-5 tablespoons water, warm
Instructions:
To make cupcake
- Add flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, and salt in a bowl and mix thoroughly to combine. Add in the butter, eggs, and vanilla and beat on medium speed for one minute. Add half of the Kahlua into the mixture and beat for 20 seconds. Scrape the sides of the bowl and add remaining Kahlua. Beat for 20-30 seconds until the batter is smooth. The batter will be thin enough to pour. Divide it evenly among the lined cups. Bake 18-22 minutes just until a toothpick inserted into a few of the cupcakes comes out clean. Set the pan on a rack to cool. Frost the cupcakes when they are completely cool.
TIP: For light tender cupcakes, spoon flour and cocoa lightly into measuring cups (instead of dipping the cups into the flour or cocoa) and then sweep the measures level without tapping or shaking them.
To make chocolate pouring sauce
- Place chocolate and heavy cream in a bowl over simmering water. Let chocolate and cream sit for 2-3 minutes to melt without stirring. Then slowly stir mixture to combine. Add powdered sugar and mix to combine. Add water 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing after each addition until pouring consistency is reached. Remove 5 tablespoons and place reserve in a separate bowl. Set aside all chocolate pouring sauce to cool until warm.
To make frosting
- Combine egg whites and sugar in a bowl placed over simmering water. Bring mixture to 160 degrees F while whisking constantly.
- Transfer mixture to stand mixer bowl, fitted with a whisk attachment and beat on medium high speed (speed 8 on a KitchenAid stand mixer)until mixture cools and doubles in volume and forms stiff peaks; about 10-12 minutes.
- Add butter in one piece at a time, mixing to incorporate after each addition. The mixture may appear clumpy and almost curdled looking-this is normal. Keep mixing and it will become even and smooth again. Add salt and vanilla and mix to combine. Add in Biscoff and mix until well combined. Add reserved chocolate pouring sauce into frosting. Using a spatula gently fold it into the frosting, DO NOT over mix so that chocolate streaks remain.
Assembly
- Cut Skor or Heath bars into shard shapes; set aside. Finely chop any left over crumbs.
- Fill pastry bag with a round tip. Hold pastry bag at 90 degrees above the cupcake and starting from the perimeter pipe inward and upward.
- Using a spoon drizzle chocolate on top of frosting. Sprinkle Skor crumbs on chocolate. Insert Skor shards into top of frosting.
Hi Gaijina – My apologies for the delay in responding to you. I’m not always able to get to my comments so promptly. First off thank you for the kind compliment(s).
As for the “executor” vs. “creator” part, the more you bake the more you will learn. You’ll see yourself moving towards doing more creating as you learn from experience what works and what doesn’t.
The modifications that you are inquiring about: applesauce substitution try greek sour cream or greek yogurt, as for the corn syrup-I would not use maple syrup it will impart a different flavor all together. Again, I haven’t tried the modification I suggested, but if you do give it a go – come back and let the rest of us know how it goes.
Happy baking. Feel free to email me at naomi@bakersroyale.com if you have more questions as I’m more likely to receive and respond to that a little quicker. I’m
What an artistic and beautiful cupcake! It sounds and looks amazing. I love dropping by to drool over your latest creations and today I’m featuring this post in Food Fetish Friday (with a link-back and attribution). I hope you have no objections and it’s always a pleasure following you…
I just love your photography. The styling of these cupcakes were an inspiration for my latest posts. I have given credit to you so I hope you don’t have any objection. Not only do I love your styling but your recipes all sound so sinful.
Wow. Wow. Wow. I was really hoping to avoid new recipe discoveries like this for the next couple months of bikini season but DARNIT! Must. Try. Now. GAH! (Thanks SO much to Jessica from How Sweet It is ~ in the SARCASTIC tone possible ~ for introducing me to your LOVELY blog ~ not sarcastic.)
My friend and I share recipes or things like this due to our shared interest. I have to say, the pictures above are like art. Amazing!
These are beautiful!!
Hi Naomi, thanks a lot.
You won’t believe it but here I can’t find even greek yogurt. No worries, I will definitely save the recipe and I’ll try it as soon as I’ll be in the US. Have a nice week!
These cupcakes look absolutely heavenly!! I agree with you on the chocolate being a little heavy for summer, but this is a MUST try! Thanks for sharing this recipe. Great photography too
i love your blog and I always read with such a pleasure and admire you as a wonderful and inspiring baker but this time (this is totally my opinion) you’re a little wrong. I don’t think there’s such thing as “chocolate is just too damn thick for this heat”. I’m always in the mood for some chocolate goodness, heat or cold, day and night
Great looking cupcakes, would love one right now!
p.s. i apologize if you find this comment inappropriate.
Roxana-It’s not inappropriate at all. I for one always have room for chocolate, but my circle of friends don’t quite feel that way. But they also find drinking coffee on a hot day “wrong”. Again, not for me – chocolate and coffee are a-year-around consumption habit for me.
Shumalia-Thank you for the kind compliment. And NO way-have at it, we all appreciate and breathe in inspiration.
What a fantastic idea for cupcakes
If you don’t mind me asking – how do you get the Skor shards to cut so neatly? I couldn’t get sharp edges on mine – they kept breaking.
These photos are really beautiful, also love the recipe idea. Might try it out with some frangelico!