Week 23, July 7th, 2014 ~ Not so Kit Kat Cupcakes

OK so apparently I didn't take any photos of these cupcakes last week...which is odd because I could of sworn that I did. Oh well! Here is a picture of a cat wearing a monocle on wrapping paper! 

So these are "not so" Kit Kat cupcakes because I was obviously attempting to recreate a Kit Kat but I wasn't satisfied with the outcome. It tasted good but it didn't remind me of a Kit Kat. I searched on Pinterest to see what other people have done but I didn't like anything I saw. Most of them included caramel but Kit Kats aren't caramel. I really wanted to replicate the filling between the wafers but I didn't really know how and it appears nobody else in the internet world has tried either. The only thing I found to go off of was a Paula Deen recipe but that was more of a graham cracker filling. I am hoping to have a redo eventually since I have some ideas on how to make it better!  

This recipe made 16 cupcakes!

For the chocolate cake:

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temp

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar, packed

2 ounces dark chocolate ( I used an 80%)

2 large eggs, room temp

2 large egg yolks, room temp

1/2 cup + 1 tbsp vegetable or canola oil

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/3 cup sour cream

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 cup cocoa powder--I use Hershey's Special Dark

1/2 cup brewed coffee, room temp

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. Melt the chocolate and set aside to cool.
3. Beat butter and sugar until fully combined and looks like wet sand; add the melted chocolate once cooled and mix to combine.
4. Mix in eggs and egg yolks one at a time until just combined.
5. Mix in oil, vanilla, and sour cream until just combined.
6. Sift flour, salt, baking soda, and cocoa powder in a separate bowl.
7. Add dry ingredients to the wet mixture a little at a time until just combined.
8. Add the coffee and mix till combined.
9. Fill cupcake liners and bake with 18 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean.
10. Set aside on a wire rack and let cool while preparing the filling and buttercream.

For the filling:

• 1 cup butter
• 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup white sugar

1. Melt the butter in a pan and stir in the milk. 

2. Add the sugars and bring to a boil.

3. Stir in the graham cracker crumbs and cook for 5 minutes, stirring constantly.

For the brown sugar buttercream: 

• 1 1/2 cups Unsalted Butter, room temperature
• 3 cups Powdered Sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
• 3 tbsp heavy cream

1. In a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat butter and brown sugar until smooth. 

2. Add in one cup of powdered sugar at a time, mixing in between additions. Once the sugar is completely incorporated, add in the vanilla.

3. Turn off the mixer and scrape the sides of the bowl and add the heavy cream. Restart the mixer and turn the speed up to medium-high and beat for 5 minutes. 

4. Frost the cupcakes and top with mini Kit Kats. 

I will hopefully post this weeks cupcake in a day or two!