Marvelous Miss Mallory

First of all, a warm hello to all of Poppy's wonderful readers! I'm miss Mallory from A Sofa in the Kitchen, but you probably figured that already, as I've been the Glamorous Gadabout featured all week here on the lovely Project Gadabout. In fact, if you've been reading up on me this week you probably know more randomness about me than some of my dearest! I've had such fun being featured here on PG and was beyond honored when Poppy approached me about being a part of such a fabulous project.

Enough gushing, eh? Shall we get down to the good stuff? Cupcakes! 

I'm a food blogger, so naturally I knew when my turn came to be a guest hostess here on Poppy's blog I wanted to share a delicious, fun yet beautiful recipe with all of you. But you see, I've been a bad food blogger lately. My inspiration tank has been a tad low for the last month or so. When you blog, particularly food blog I feel, this happens. It's a lot of work sometimes to conceptualize, cook, set up, photograph, edit said photographs, and write an original post. At times, too much work for an already busy life! This can get the best of me. But, when it came to this post I knew it to be magnificent, I have a lot of slack to make up for my friends! 

So I present to you the double chocolate salty pretzel cupcake. Get ready for this one ladies, he's a keeper.

In Seattle there are a gaggle of cupcake shops to choose from. My heart belongs to Trophy Cupcakes. Consistently delicious little cakes, unique flavors, fantastic decor and aesthetic. Last weekend I stopped into one of their shops for a little mid afternoon treat only to find one of my favorite cakes, triple chocolate, wearing a crushed pretzel suit. Not only were the cakes gorgeous, but you put salt and sweet together and I go weak in the knees. Double trouble. After devouring one, I knew this is what I wanted to make for all of you. I did a few things different from Trophy's cake, to up the fabulous ante a little. First, and most importantly, I laid a pretzel, butter, brown sugar foundation underneath each cake so that every bite had a caramelized salty sugar pretzel crust. Then, instead of rolling the entirety of the chocolate frosting in crushed pretzel I only rolled the edges, creating a halo of salty pretzel dust and leaving enough room for the crowning jewel, a whole pretzel hand dipped in melted bittersweet chocolate. I hate to say it (I kind of love to say it) but as pretty as those Trophy cupcakes were, mine are much prettier! This cupcake is the triple threat, gorgeous, delicious, salty & sweet. Swoon indeed.

Double Chocolate Pretzel Cupcakes

Brown Sugar Pretzel Crust 

Ingredients: 

1 1/2 cups pretzels, crushed

1 stick unsalted butter, melted

4 Tablespoons dark brown sugar 

Directions:

1. Mix all the ingredients in a small bowl.

2. Press into bottoms of cupcake liners, bake on 350 for 8-10 minutes.

Chocolate Cupcakes

Ingredients: 

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pans
2 cups sugar
3/4 cups cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk, shaken
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup freshly brewed hot coffee

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350

1. Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and mix on low speed until combined.

2. In another bowl, combine the buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry. With mixer still on low, add the coffee and stir just to combine, scraping the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula.

3. Pour batter into cupcake liners, about 3/4 full for each. 

4. Bake in preheated oven for 20-22 minutes, or until tester comes out clean.

5. Cool completely then frost. 

Chocolate Ganache Frosting

Ingredients: 

4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped

2/3 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

1 1/3 cups powdered sugar, sifted

1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Directions: 

1. Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl either placed over a saucepan of simmering water, or in the microwave. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.

2. In the bowl of an electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the butter until creamy, 2 minutes. Add the sugar and beat until it is light and fluffy another 2 minutes. Beat in the vanilla extract. Add the chocolate and beat on low speed until incorporated.

3. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat until frosting is smooth and glossy approximately 3 minutes.

4. Frost your cakes!

Assembly

  Once the cupcakes have completely cooled frost generously, slathering the whole dome, all the way to the edge of the liner (if you want to roll your edges in pretzel like I did). Crush a cup or two of pretzels up finely (a rolling pin and a large ziploc bag work well). Pour crushed pretzels onto a large flat plate. Once all your cupcakes are frosted, roll the edges carefully in the pretzel dust, pressing in any loose pieces as needed. If you've got any extra pretzels on hand, and a bit of melted chocolate in your bowl from your frosting, dip the edge of a whole pretzel in warm chocolate, chill in the fridge for a few minutes, and crown each cake with a chocolate dipped pretzel. Viola! Gorgeous, scrumptious little gems!

Want to make it really easy?

  Now, I'm not a major condoner of 'semi-homemade', in fact, the phrase makes me cringe. But I completely understand wanting to wow in flash. If you don't feel like making the cake and the frosting from scratch because your short on time, whip up a box of chocolate cake mix (substitute fresh brewed coffee for the water) and buy a tub of frosting, bake up & frost, then follow assembly directions. I promise you they won't be as good, but I wanted to give any kitchen shy readers out there a quicker, easier option!

Thank you again Poppy! Not only has this been such a lovely experience, it's given me my blogging groove back!

x 

Comments

[anne-marie]

I am absolutely making these! I've loved your posts all week, Mallory!

[Project Gadabout]

I know her food is amazing, not to mention she takes great pictures!

[mrsblocko]

This looks scrumptious. Pretzels and chocolate? count me in!

I'm curious though, how many cupcakes does this recipe make?

[Project Gadabout]

I will ask Mallory and email you when I know how many this yields!