Fauxstess Cupcakes

Thursday, April 9, 2009

I’ve had my eyes on these cupcakes for a long time now. They’ve been popping up everywhere and they’re just so darn cute. I kept waiting for a special occasion to make these for when I finally decided just to make them for the heck of it.

Since I had seen these everywhere, I had a few choices to make when it comes to the recipes. I liked the filling recipe that Heather used because I didn’t want to use marshmallow fluff and I’ve never made 7-minute frosting. But I decided to make the cupcake recipe from Food and Wine since I am all about trying new recipes.

I’ve never really worked with ganache before and I fell in love with it. The ganache provided a smooth finish to these cupcakes. I doubled the ganache recipe so that I would have enough to dip all the cupcakes. I don’t think there would have been enough if I hadn’t doubled the recipe. I even used the leftover ganache for some double chocolate roll out cookies for St Patty’s Day. I also ate some with a spoon straight from the fridge, dipped strawberries in some, and spread some onto toast… Ganache is a dangerous thing to have in our house…

I ended up using the cone method to fill these cupcakes. In the past I have piped filling into cupcakes, but haven’t been satisfied with the amount of filling it provides. You have much more control using the cone method.

Everyone enjoyed these cupcakes – they definitely taste better than the Hostess version. I only put three swirls (instead of the 7 that Hostess puts on their cupcakes), but everyone still made the connection. These cupcakes taste delicious and bring back memories of lunchtime in the middle school cafeteria.

You might be wondering about those brown cupcake liners. I had them on my Christmas list this year and since no one got them for me, I decided to treat myself to some brown and other solid colored cupcake liners. I love how bold the colors are and can’t wait to use them all. I ordered these liners (variety pack and brown) from Confectionary House.

Fauxstess (aka Fake Hostess) Cupcakes

Make Hostess cupcakes in your own kitchen!

Yield: 24 cupcakes

Ingredients:

For the cupcakes
1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp cake flour
1/3 cup Dutch-process cocoa
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp salt
2 large eggs, separated and at room temperature
1/3 cup canola oil
1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp sugar
2 Tbsp water

For the cream filling (Seven Minute Frosting)
2 egg whites
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup light corn syrup
2 Tbsp water
1 1/2 tsp vanilla

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

Directions:

For the cupcakes
Preheat the oven to 350 F

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

In a large mixing bowl, beat together egg yolks, canola oil, 1/2 cup sugar and water until well combined. Add the dry ingredients and stir by hand just until combined.

In a clean medium bowl, beat egg whites at high speed until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining 2 tablespoons sugar and beat until stiff and glossy. Beat one quarter of the whites into the batter to lighten the mixture. Add remaining whites and gently fold the mixture together until no streaks remain.

Evenly divide the batter between the wells of a 12 cup muffin tin prepared with cupcake liners (they will be about one-half full). Bake until the cupcakes spring back when lightly touched in the center, about 13 to 16 minutes. Remove and let the cupcakes cool slightly before turning them out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

For the filling
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.

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 the cone method to fill with filling.

For 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.

For the final decorations
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.

Cupcakes inspired from Heather Drive, filling recipe from Smitten Kitchen and cupcake and ganache recipe from Culinary in the Desert

Cupcakes, Dessert

17 comments »

18 Responses to “Browned Butter Cream Cheese Chocolate Chip Cookies”

#
1

FunandFearlessinBeantown — March 30, 2012 at 7:53 am

I have my tried and true ATK version but I always love discovering new chocolate chip cookie recipes!
#
2

Elizabeth — March 30, 2012 at 8:27 am

Brown butter makes everything better!
#
3

In and Around Town — March 30, 2012 at 8:31 am

I am pretty boring with chocolate chip cookies and stick with the recipe on the back of the bag, but the size of these and the twist on ingredients makes me want to give these a go!
#
4

Mrs. Williams — March 30, 2012 at 8:35 am

I use half the bag of chips too – I like them that way! 🙂 I might have to give this one a shot – I really liked the brown butter oatmeal chocolate chip I made last week.
#
5

Judy — March 30, 2012 at 9:40 am

I love trying new ccc recipes also. You don’t mention what the texture of the cookie is. I like crispy edges and chewy centers, very hard to find.
#
6

Tara @ Chip Chip Hooray — March 30, 2012 at 9:44 am

Well, I know what’s happening with the half block of cream cheese in my fridge just waiting to be used up! Cookies are in my future, score. 😉
#
7

Colleen — March 30, 2012 at 10:52 am

I love adding sea salt to chocolate things! I haven’t tried it on chocolate chip cookies, but it sounds delicious.
#
8

Carrie's Sweet Life — March 30, 2012 at 8:29 pm

These look awesome, I am still searching for the perfect recipe!
#
9

PB and Peppers — March 31, 2012 at 7:05 am

The cookies sound amazing! I love the addition of cream cheese! CC is my favorite cookie and I am terrified to make them because I have no self control. I love the dough and I love the cookie!!
#
10

Megan — April 1, 2012 at 5:32 pm

These sound like they take the best components of all my favorite cookies (browned butter, a sprinkling of sea salt) and merge them together.
#
11

nicole @ I am a Honey Bee — April 3, 2012 at 1:48 pm

I always stick with Tollhouse cookies. I need to open my eyes to the wide world of chocolate chip cookies varieties out there!
#
12

Courtney — April 15, 2012 at 11:14 am

I made these today and they were fantastic–thanks for sharing the recipe! (*^_^*)
#
13

mega — May 16, 2012 at 9:16 am

aahh this is recipe that i looking for to make choco chip cookies… thank you for post it 🙂
#
14

Kaila — January 4, 2013 at 11:24 pm
Made these but didn’t know you have to refrigerate the dough prior to baking hope they come out okay!
- beantownbaker — January 5th, 2013 @ 4:31 pm
  
  They should still turn out ok. They might spread a bit more than mine do. Let me know how they come out!
#
15

Arghavan — February 16, 2015 at 4:17 pm

Made these with the kiddies today and WOW! They are delicious! It made a lot of dough though (I made smaller cookies than the recipe called for), can I freeze the dough in small balls?
#
16

Jess — February 19, 2016 at 2:27 pm

Making these today! Can’t wait to see how it turns out. I have another great brown butter choc chip recipe but never tried with cream cheese. Thought I would share my tip for the sea salt…I love a salted cookie! I wait until the cookies have cooled 5 minutes before sprinkling, it’s not too hot that the salt sinks into the batter but not too cold that the salt just bounces off.
#
17

Clara Gonzalez — November 22, 2021 at 12:01 pm

These look amazing! I am definitely going to make them!