Hot Chocolate Mousse Cupcakes

Gorgeously tender chocolate cupcakes are filled with a silky hot chocolate mousse. Bringing these decadent cupcakes up to a whole new level.

As I was browsing through some of my USB sticks the other day, I stumbled across these cupcakes I made a few years back. Having never posted them on my blog, I decided this would be the perfect opportunity. I must confess though, that this summer I've been less than inspired when in the kitchen. So finding these photos was a blessing in disguise, because I didn't have a new recipe to share with you guys!!

I remember these cupcakes completely. It was one of those OMG these are so good, I can't wait to post them to the blog, recipes. However my old laptop suddenly got infected with malware from a faulty Pinterest pin (so be careful!), that I lost everything on it. Thankfully I had saved these to my USB, while backing up my blog. In the frustration and stress of being a blogger without a computer, I forgot about these until I unearthed my USB the other night. I am SO happy to share these cupcakes with you because they are utterly fantastic and heavenly!

Hot Chocolate Mousse Cupcakes

1 1/2 C flour

3/4 C good quality cocoa powder

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

2 eggs, room temperature

1 1/2 C sugar

1/2 C vegetable oil

1 tsp vanilla

1 1/4 C boiling water

Filling

1 C heavy cream (35% fat)

1 Tbs powdered sugar

1/3 C hot cocoa powder

1 Tbs cocoa powder

Buttercream

1/2 lb of butter (two sticks), room temperature

1/4 C cocoa powder

4-6 C powdered sugar

2-3 Tbs heavy cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 12 well muffin tin with cupcake liners.

In a mixing bowl sift together the flour, 3/4 C cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

In a larger mixing bowl, cream the sugar and eggs until light and fluffy. Add in the vanilla and vegetable oil and mix well. Beat in the flour mixture, until well combined. Using a wooden spoon, stir in the hot water. Pour batter evenly into each paper lined well; filling to 2/3 full.

Bake cupcakes for 20-24 minutes; until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and cake springs back when lightly pressed. Let cool 5 minutes, before removing from cupcake tin to a wire rack. Cool to room temperature.

While cupcakes cool, beat heavy cream, 1 Tbs powdered sugar, hot cocoa powder and cocoa powder, until cream comes to stiff peaks. Cover and place in refrigerator to cool.

In a mixer bowl using the whisk attachment beat the butter until light and fluffy; about 2 minutes. Beat in cocoa powder until smooth. With the mixer set to low, beat in powdered sugar, 1 C at a time, making sure it is well incorporated before adding more. Start with 4 cups of powdered sugar, adding more if mixture is too loose (it should have the consistency of stiff cookie dough). Add in 2 Tbs of heavy cream and beat until very light and fluffy, adding more cream if needed. Set aside.

Once cupcakes are cool, take an apple corer (not an apple wedger!), or a melon baller and remove a circle of cake from the center of each cupcake. This hole should almost reach the bottom of the cupcake.

Place mousse filling into a large zip top bag, or pipping bag. Snip the end and fill the cavity of each cucpcake with mousse filling.

Fit a second pipping bag with a #2A tip, or larger, and fill with buttercream. Pipe buttercream onto each cupcakes, creating a swirl as you do so.