How to use your stand mixer in boiling water.

About every 6 – 8 weeks, we have dinner with 3 other couples. The boys play video games and the girls sit and chat. When it comes to picking out who brings what – I usually jump on the bread or dessert grenade. This time – I attempted a knock off of Hostess Cupcakes. I’ve tried something similar before – but this time? I think we have a winner.
I had one issue with the filling recipe I was working with. I don’t have a hand mixer. For the filling they suggested you mix it over simmering water. Now how in the heck was I going to get my Kitchenaid stand mixer in some boiling water? I thought about hand mixing it – then that thought left as quick as it came. I remembered all the Good Eats episodes I’ve seen – Alton Brown often used a heating pad for such things. I got out Andy’s and it worked like a charm.
All of these cakes went that night – yes all 24. I saw three get eaten by one certain Chad – in 3 bites! :) So glad they were enjoyed - every single one of them.

Curly-Q Cupper Cakes
What you need!
For the cupcakes
1 devil’s food cake mix plus ingredients to make cupcakes as package directs
1 - 3 ounce dry chocolate pudding mix

For the cream filling:
2 large egg whites
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup light corn syrup
2 tablespoons water
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

For the ganache:
1/4 cup cream
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened

Make it!
Preheat the oven to 350
Mix chocolate cake mix as box directs, add pudding while mixing. Bake as cupcakes according to box directions.

While waiting for cupcakes to cool, combine filling ingredients with a pinch of salt in a metal bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water and beat with a handheld electric mixer at high speed until frosting is thick and fluffy, 6 to 7 minutes. If you are like me and do not have a hand mixer, use a heating pad set on high and wrap it around your stand mixer bowl. Trust me… it works. :) (Thanks Alton Brown!) Remove bowl from heat and continue to beat until slightly cooled. Reserve 1/2 cup of the filling to use for piping the swirls on top of the cupcakes at the end.

Once cupcakes are completely cooled, use an apple corer to cut out the center of each cup cake. Put cream filling in a piping bag or a ziptop bag and pipe into cupcakes. Once all cupcakes are filled, make the ganache.

In a small saucepan, heat cream until steaming. Remove from the heat, add chocolate and let stand for 5 minutes. Add the butter and stir until smooth. Transfer the frosting to a small bowl and dip the top of each cupcake to thoroughly coat.

Spoon the reserved filling into a pastry bag fitted with a very small plain tip and pipe swirls across the center of each cupcake. Refrigerate the cupcakes for 10 minutes to set the frosting.