Vanilla Cupcakes with Chocolate Marshmallow Cream
All together now….the hubby had a meeting and he asked me to bake for him. I had bought new kitchen toys and wanted to play – Russian piping tips – so it was going to be a cake or cupcakes. He requested portable snacks so cupcakes it was. It was for a celebration so I knew that going a little fancy would be just fine. What I ended up with was vanilla cupcakes with chocolate marshmallow cream filling. The Russian tips video I watched to teach me how to use them indicated that a stiff icing was necessary (I’ve since learned otherwise) so I made a vanilla buttercream albeit with a bit of heavy cream to try and tone down the sweetness.
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Vanilla Cupcakes with Chocolate Marshmallow Cream
Makes 12 *
(the marshmallow cream recipe makes a ton. It keeps well in the refrigerator for a couple of weeks)
For the cupcakes
1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
8 TBS unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into 8 pieces
1/2 cup sour cream
1 large egg
2 large egg yolks
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
For the Chocolate Marshmallow Cream
3 egg whites at room temperature*
2 cups Karo light corn syrup
1/2 tsp salt
1 3/4 cup confectioner’s sugar, sifted
1/4 cup cocoa powder, sifted
1 TBS vanilla extract
For the Buttercream
2 1/2 sticks of butter (20 TBS) at room temperature
2 TBS heavy cream
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/8 tsp salt
4 cups confectioner’s sugar
1 TBS dried dragonfruit powder
2 tsp matcha tea powder
Preheat oven to 350°
Line cupcake tins with paper cups and spray with cooking spray.
In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attached mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
Add the butter, egg, yolks, vanilla and sour cream and mix until just combined.
Divide evenly between the 12 cupcake cups.
*I doubled the recipe
Bake in the preheated oven for 20 – 24 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.
Cool on a wire rack.
Make the Marshmallow Cream:
In the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attached add the egg whites, corn syrup and salt.
Whip on high speed for 5 minutes until thick and the volume has doubled.
While the mixture is whipping, whisk or sift together the confectioner’s sugar and cocoa.
When the mixture is done whipping turn speed to low and add the sugar/cocoa mixture. Whisk until combined.
Add the vanilla extract and whip until combined.
Make the Buttercream
In a stand mixer with the paddle attached beat the butter, cream, vanilla and salt on medium high until well combined.
Lower the speed to medium low and add the sugar in small amounts until it is well combined, about 4 minutes.
Turn the speed to medium high and beat for 5 minutes until light and fluffy.
Build the Cupcakes:
Take half of the frosting and place in one bowl. Add 1 TBS of dried dragonfruit powder and whisk until combined so you have a lovely pink color.
Set aside 1/4 of the remaining frosting to remain white. To the last 1/4 add the 2 tsp of matcha tea powder and whisk to make green. Alternatively used food dyes to make the colors to your liking.
Attach a leaf tip to a pasty bag and fill with the green frosting.
Place a rose Russian tip (I used number 11) into a pastry bag and fill with the pink frosting.
Cut a circle into the cupcake, being careful not to cut down to the bottom. Remove the piece and trim so you have a top you can return to the cupcake after you have filled it.
Fill a pastry bag or zip bag with marshmallow cream and fill each cupcake to just about the top. Cover with the cupcake “lid.”
Frost 4 cupcakes with the white frosting to give them just a covering coat so the roses have something to adhere to.
Using the Russian rose tip add 5 to 7 flowers to the top of the cupcake. Then fill in with leaves using the green frosting and the leaf tip.
Russian Tips?
I know – I didn’t know what they were at first either. I just kept seeing these beautiful flowers on cakes and cupcakes. Then I wanted to do it myself! I had a gift certificate so I treated myself. These cupcakes are my very first efforts so you can see how easy it is to make beautiful cakes yourself!
ALL PURCHASE LINKS ARE AFFILIATE LINKS WHICH MEANS IF YOU BUY ANYTHING THROUGH THEM I WILL RECEIVE A SMALL COMMISSION (AT NO ADDITIONAL CHARGE TO YOU)
I will admit that they are far from perfect, but I was very happy with how they came out. The hubby said everyone at the meeting really enjoyed them too. The hubby has another meeting so I am going to make more cupcakes and decorate them using the Russian tips.
If you would like to see how to use them I made a video to show basic piping with Russian tips.
How Were the Vanilla Cupcakes with Chocolate Marshmallow Cream?
Oh my heavens. They were DE-lightful. The moist cupcake and the buttercream are lovely together. The frosting is not as sweet as you might think – the heavy cream and the addition of either the dragonfruit or matcha powder helps to temper the sweet.
The chocolate marshmallow cream is a fun surprise and it also is not as sweet as you might think. The cocoa powder takes the edge off of the corn syrup and the confectioner’s sugar. Definitely a combination that I will make again.
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