Cabernet Chocolate Cupcakes
For the Cakes:
1 package Devil's Food cake mix (plus eggs, oil and water listed on back of box)
1 box chocolate pudding mix
Prepare cake as directed for cupcakes. Add pudding mix into dry ingredients and mix well. (This add a nice moistness to the cakes and keep them fresher.)
Buttercream
2 sticks of unsalted butter
9 c. confectioner's sugar
1/2 cup of milk
2 t. vanilla
1 c. chocolate shavings
To make frosting, beat softened butter on medium and 7 c. confectioner's sugar, a cup at a time, alternating sugar with milk. When all sugar is added, beat in vanilla. Set aside in cool place, covered with plastic wrap.
In separate saucepan, stir 1 bottle of Cabernet wine over medium heat. Bring to boil and reduce until you have 1/8 c. (about 1/2 hour; do not leave the stove, as some wines have higher alcohol content and can reduce rapidly). Wine should be slightly syrupy, but still thin.
Cool slightly and add to frosting, alternating with 2 additional cups of confectioner's sugar. Frosting should be creamy and somewhat stiff. Put into pastry bag or freezer bag with a corner cut off. Pipe in swirl onto top of cupcake.
Sprinkle each cake with chocolate shavings. You will need about 1 cup of shavings (use your carrot peeler on the edge of a dark chocolate bar). My favorite is Ghiradelli.
Keep covered and they will last for about a week.
— Kristin Fuhrmann-Simmons
1 package Devil's Food cake mix (plus eggs, oil and water listed on back of box)
1 box chocolate pudding mix
Prepare cake as directed for cupcakes. Add pudding mix into dry ingredients and mix well. (This add a nice moistness to the cakes and keep them fresher.)
Buttercream
2 sticks of unsalted butter
9 c. confectioner's sugar
1/2 cup of milk
2 t. vanilla
1 c. chocolate shavings
To make frosting, beat softened butter on medium and 7 c. confectioner's sugar, a cup at a time, alternating sugar with milk. When all sugar is added, beat in vanilla. Set aside in cool place, covered with plastic wrap.
In separate saucepan, stir 1 bottle of Cabernet wine over medium heat. Bring to boil and reduce until you have 1/8 c. (about 1/2 hour; do not leave the stove, as some wines have higher alcohol content and can reduce rapidly). Wine should be slightly syrupy, but still thin.
Cool slightly and add to frosting, alternating with 2 additional cups of confectioner's sugar. Frosting should be creamy and somewhat stiff. Put into pastry bag or freezer bag with a corner cut off. Pipe in swirl onto top of cupcake.
Sprinkle each cake with chocolate shavings. You will need about 1 cup of shavings (use your carrot peeler on the edge of a dark chocolate bar). My favorite is Ghiradelli.
Keep covered and they will last for about a week.
— Kristin Fuhrmann-Simmons
