Bake It in a Cake
Dedicated to cake and cupcakes and all the delicious things you can bake inside of them.
Tweets by @bakeitinacake
Find me on...
Vanilla Pudding-Filled Chocolate Cupcakes
Can’t choose if you want chocolate of vanilla? Have both! This chocolate cupcake is filled with a miniature vanilla pudding pie and topped with vanilla buttercream. It’s the best of both worlds! While I used vanilla pudding, you can use any of your favorite flavors—white chocolate, butterscotch, coconut, whatever!
Makes about 22 cupcakes.
For the pudding pies you’ll need:
22 mini phyllo dough shells (found in the frozen dessert section of most grocery stores)
1 box cook and serve vanilla pudding, prepared according to the box’s directions
For the cupcakes you’ll need:
2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/2 c. granulated sugar
3 eggs
2 t. vanilla
2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
1/3 cup cocoa powder
2 1/2 c. flour
1 c. milk
For the buttercream you’ll need:
2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
2 c. powdered sugar
2 t. vanilla extract
2 T. milk
Directions:
First, spoon a heaping teaspoon of vanilla pudding into the mini pie shells and set aside.
To make the cupcakes, pre-heat the oven down to 350 degrees (F). Use a stand mixer with the paddle attachment to cream together the butter and the sugar until fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, and then the vanilla, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder. Mix until well-combined (don’t forget to scrape down the sides of the bowl once or twice to make sure everything gets mixed in). Add in the flour and the milk, alternating between the two ingredients a half cup or so at a time and mix until everything is smooth.
Put a heaping tablespoon of cupcake batter into paper-lined cupcake tins. Gently press one pudding pie into the batter and cover with another heaping tablespoon of batter. Smooth the batter down over the top and sides of the pie—the pie should be completely covered with batter and the cupcake tins will be about 3/4 of the way full, maybe a smidge more.
Bake for about 22-25 minutes until the cupcakes are set (the cake will slightly bounce back when you press your finger into the top of it). Allow to cool in the pan for at least 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. Frost when cool.
For the buttercream, use a stand mixer with the whisk attachment to cream the butter for about 20 seconds on medium high speed. With the mixer on low, add the powdered sugar, a heaping 1/2 cup at a time. Add a teaspoon of vanilla extract and continue to mix on high for about 20 seconds, until you get the desired taste and texture. If the frosting is a bit too thick, add the milk and mix again for another 20 seconds or so. Pipe or spread the frosting onto the cupcakes and top with sprinkles, chocolate chips, or any other delicious things!
My cookbook, Bake It in a Cupcake: 50 Treats With a Surprise Inside, is available now at: Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, and Indiebound.com!
