Classic Turtle Cupcakes
Makes 12 cupcakes Cupcake Batter:
1 cup all-purpose flour
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder ¾ cup white sugar
¼ cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
⅓ cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 large eggs
½ cup buttermilk
½ cup hot water
Pecan Caramel Filling:
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
½ cup pecan halves
1 Cup of white sugar
6 tablespoons of unsalted butter
½ cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Chocolate Ganache:
½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
¼ cup heavy cream
Whipped Frosting:
1 cup of Cold Cream Cheese
1 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 2/4 cups heavy whipping cream Directions:
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees and line a 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners.
2. To make cupcake batter, in a large bowl combine the flour, cocoa powder, white sugar, brown sugar, baking powder and baking soda
3. In a separate bowl, mix oil, vanilla, eggs and buttermilk
4. Slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients.
5. Heat water until hot and steaming
6. Pour hot water into batter slowly.
7. Using a cookie scooper, fill cupcake liners ¾ full and bake for 18 minutes.
8. Allow cupcakes cool for 10 minutes.
9. To prepare filling, begin by toasting pecans, by lining a baking pan with parchment paper spreading pecans evenly.
10. Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in microwave and drizzle over pecans before toasting in 350 degree oven for 5-6 minutes. Remove from oven and roughly chop pecans and set aside.
11. To make caramel, add sugar to bottom heavy nonstick saucepan and warm over a medium heat stirring constantly so sugar doesn’t burn, using a wooden spoon as the best option. Stir until the sugar is melted and turns an amber caramel color.
12. Add the butter in cubes until fully combined with sugar.
13. Pour in heavy cream slowly and stir with sugar and butter, constantly whisking to allow caramel to boil for 1 minute then remove from heat and stir in vanilla
14. Transfer caramel to container and set aside to cool before folding in pecans and spooning cooled mixture into a Ziplock bag.
15. To make ganache, in a bowl combine chocolate chips and heavy cream and microwave for 1 minute. Allow to cool and set aside.
16. To make frosting, chill mixing bowl in freezer for 30 minutes before adding cream cheese and mixing on medium speed until smooth. Add in powdered sugar and mix on low until combined and then increasing speed to medium high for 1 minute before adding in vanilla extract and then slowly add in heavy cream.
17. Once all heavy cream is added
increase speed to high and mix until you see the mixture thicken and take shape. This step should only take 30-sec to 1 minute. To test, dunk whisk in frosting, pull it out and flip it over to see if it keeps it shape to know it is ready or requires more mixing.
18. To assemble, core each cupcake using an apple corer or a knife.
19. Dip the cupcakes upside down into the chocolate ganache to coat the tops.
20. Using the caramel pecan mixture in a pipping bag or Ziplock bag, snip corner and fill the cupcakes with filling.
21. Using an ice-cream scooper or a cookie scooper scoop the whipped frosting and place it on top of cupcake.
22. Drizzle with chocolate ganache and Carmel, garnish with toasted pecans. Serve slightly chilled.