Week 10: Zuccatto Cupcakes

Cake ingredients. Use a mix, you will get a great result.

Cupcake liners from Paula Deen. I can't stop buying cupcake liners, help me!

Filling ingredients. Indulgent.

Ganache ingredients. How can two little things make so much goodness?

Frosting ingredients. So wrong but so right.

Ganache covered cuties.

"Last Wish"

I want to call these cupcakes "Last Wish". You know how when you are about to meet you Maker and you are asked what your last wish is? These would be it. Oh my goodness! These are a little labor intensive, but so, so worth it. The recipe was posted on All Recipes and the girl that posted it said she made them for her wedding. Definitely wedding-worthy. I followed the recipe as printed and wouldn't change a thing. The recipe is below.

Since I am planning a trip with a couple of friends to Italy in the next few years, I am drawn to all things Italian. Zuccatto means "little pumpkin" in Italian and the cake is said to have been inspired by the dome of the main cathedral in Florence. This is really a modification of the true Zuccatto cake recipe and the main similarity is the dome shape of  the frosting. I love frosting so I am excited to sink my teeth into this dome of deliciousness on top.

These cupcakes remind me of the new memory foam three-inch mattress topper we just got. Oh My, soft, pillowy and sheer bliss. I find myself thinking about it during the day. When I walk into our room I stare at the bed longingly, wondering how I can just lay down for a minute. I stare, it lays there like a cloud calling me, I turn, knowing it cannot be. I begin to walk away, then just glance back for a moment, knowing we will be together again when it is night. I love sleeping. Ask anyone who knows me. I am in bed early. What's the point in fighting it if I am tired? I surrender. Surrender to these cupcakes.

Ingredients

• For Cupcakes:
• 1 (18.25 ounce) package white cake mix with pudding
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 3 egg whites
• 1 1/4 cups water
• 6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped fine
•  
• For Filling:
• 1 cup cold heavy whipping cream
• 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
• 1/2 cup frozen unsweetened raspberries
• 1/4 cup chocolate-coated toffee bits
• 1/2 cup finely chopped toasted hazelnuts, skins removed
•  
• For Ganache:
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 6 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
•  
• For Frosting:
• 1 (12 ounce) package white chocolate chips
• 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• food coloring, if desired (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line muffin tins with 24 cupcake liners.
2. Combine the cake mix, oil, egg whites, and water in a mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds, then increase the speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl. Stir in the chopped bittersweet chocolate and scoop the batter into the cupcake liners, filling them two-thirds full.
3. Bake in the preheated oven until golden and the tops spring back when lightly pressed, 15 to 20 minutes. A toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake should come out clean. Remove the cupcakes from the pans and cool completely on wire racks.
4. Beat 1 cup cold whipping cream on medium-high speed until the cream has thickened, about 1 minute. Add confectioners' sugar and beat until stiff peaks form. Stir in the frozen raspberries, toffee bits, and chopped toasted hazelnuts.
5. Remove the centers of the cupcakes using an apple corer or paring knife, cutting out the middles in a funnel shape by holding the knife at a 45-degree angle. Spoon or pipe the filling into the cupcakes. Refrigerate the cupcakes while you prepare the ganache.
6. Place the semisweet chocolate pieces in a heat-safe bowl. Bring 1/2 cup heavy cream to a boil. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate; cover the bowl and set aside for 5 minutes. Whisk the chocolate and cream until well combined; allow the ganache to cool until it reaches a spreadable consistency, about 1 hour. Spread a spoonful of ganache evenly over each cupcake. Refrigerate the cupcakes while you prepare the frosting.
7. Melt the white chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl by heating for 1 minute, stirring after 30 seconds. Allow the white chocolate to cool until almost room temperature but still fluid. Cream the butter and cream cheese together. Blend in the melted white chocolate, vanilla extract, and food coloring (if using). Spread the frosting on the cupcakes. Serve immediately, or refrigerate until serving.