I made cupcakes for my goddaughter's birthday yesterday, and I used the Valentine's Day (oops) Vosges Love Goddess chocolate cake mix, which Vosges had sent me to try, like, months ago.
I didn't use the recommended dark and spicy ganache filling, or frosting (with the rose petals and whipped cream) and I probably should have. The cake is high quality and delicious and it deserved better than the plain vanilla buttercream I made to top it. I almost felt like I let the cake down but using utilitarian buttercream frosting.
Ingredients.
Frosting.
My makeshift pastry bag.
The directions to the cake were more complicated than I expected.
You had to boil water (filtered water was recommended) and add the cocoa powder packet, stirring until blended then set aside until cool.
In the stand mixer cream the softened butter (a lot of butter -- I think it was one and a half sticks) and the provided packet of vanilla sugar, three eggs, and vanilla extract (I used paste).
Then add the cake mix in thirds alternating with the cooled cocoa mixture. It said to begin and end with the mix so I used half the liquid instead of a third at a time.
The batter was very very liquidy, and made a huge dark chocolate mess. I was worried it wasn't going to bake correctly (no cupcake baking instructions on the box), but I guesstimated 17 minutes, turning once, and it was good.
They baked perfectly, with a clean toothpick test, slightly off center.
They rested in the pan for 7 minutes then I transferred them to a rack to cool.
The box says they are sea salted chocolate and I didn't really taste the salt but they were still delicious. I admit I ate two without frosting, still slightly warm. So good! This cake was so light and delicious I could have eaten a few more. The texture was perfect, and I wish I'd made the rose petal whipped cream topping the recipe recommended, but mine were for a kids birthday party so plain vanilla buttercream it was.
I frosted them, and took them to the party where they were a success.
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