Mini Devil's Food Cakes with Amaretto Pastry Cream Filling and White Chocolate Glaze

These tiny cakes have a rich flavor and moist texture. They won't last long on your plate!

I've started a new job and haven't had as much time to devote to this blog as I'd like. This was meant to be posted last week in time for Valentine's Day, but didn't quite make it up in time. I hope that you will try it anyway, it's a chocolate lover's dream.

This particular cake went through several transformations in my head; epic layer cake, raspberry jam filling, cherries, strawberries, the list goes on and on. I decided on something small with big flavor, wanted some sort of ganache as a topping, and a pastry cream filling. It didn't dawn on me until later that I had created a pretentious Hostess cake! Despite the comparison, this is still a very elegant end to a romantic dinner.

I ran into a few problems with the recipes, which I adapted from a much-loved cookbook of mine: The Dessert Bible by Christopher Kimball. I have gotten a ton of inspiration out of this book, as well as many techniques, but for some reason certain things don't come out as described despite following exact directions. The glaze, for example, was supposed to be a thick white chocolate ganache, but turned out rather runny. I had to add cornstarch to the pastry cream, because despite heating it slowly but adequately for an hour and a half (whisking all the while until my right arm fell off), it was little more than a slightly thick sauce. I've made several changes to make this dessert out of 3 or 4 master recipes, and the final result was different that what I wanted but exquisite nonetheless.

Devil's Food Cake

• 1/3 c boiling water
• 2 oz unsweetened chocolate
• 1/8 c cocoa
• 3/4 c cake flour
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 stick butter, at room temp
• 3/4 c dark brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp pure vanilla
• 1 lg egg
• 1/4 c sour cream

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1.) Stir boiling water, chopped chocolate, and cocoa together in a medium bowl. Set aside. Sift together flour, salt and baking powder in another bowl and set aside as well. Preheat oven to 350. Place paper cups in a muffin pan and then spray with non stick cooking spray.

2.)Beat butter in large bowl on medium-high for 1 minute. Add brown sugar and vanilla and beat on high until light and fluffy (about 3 mins.). Pour egg a little at a time, and beat on medium-high for 30 seconds after each individual addition. Add sour cream and beat on medium speed until combined, about 10 seconds. 

3.)Stir water and chocolate mixture until smooth. Alternate pouring the chocolate mixture, the flour mixture, and beating on low for 10 second intervals until all is combined. Gently finish mixing batter with a rubber spatula.

4.)Pour batter into muffin cups, filling about halfway. This cake batter seems to rise very well, and you want an even, small, squat cylinder rather than a cupcake shape. Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes, or until center of middle cupcake springs back when lightly pressed with the flat side of a fork. Cool on wire racks for 15 mins, then remove from muffin cups and cool completely on racks.

Amaretto Pastry Cream

• 1 c half and half
• 3 large egg yolks
• 1/4 c sugar
• 1 1/2 tbsp flour
• pinch salt
• 1 tsp almond extract
• 1/4 tsp lemon juice
1.) Heat half and half in a small saucepan until it begins to simmer.
2.) Meanwhile, whisk eggs, sugar, flour, and salt in a medium sized heavy bottomed saucepan for one minute, until light and fluffy. Add 1/2 c hot half and half to the egg mixture, whisking constantly but gently. When mixed, slowly pour in the remaining half and half, continuing to whisk slowly.
3.) Place pan over low heat and, whisking constantly but gently, heat until mixture thickens, 4-7 minutes. Continue whisking for another 3 minutes or until the floury taste is diminished. 
4.) Strain custard into a small bowl, add almond and lemon juice (or 2 tbsp amaretto liqueur if you rather), stirring gently. Smooth top with rubber spatula and place wax paper over surface. Refrigerate until needed.
*I had a lot of problems getting this to thicken up, despite following directions exactly. I just added cornstarch a little at a time until it was my desired consistency.

 Using a pastry bag or bottle with an injector tip, squeeze pastry cream into the middle of each cake from the top. Allow to set upright for now, but you will flip them over before pouring on the glaze. 

White Chocolate Glaze

• 4 oz white chocolate
• 1/2 c heavy cream
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1.) Chop chocolate into small pieces. 
2.)Bring cream to a simmer in saucepan. Add chocolate and cook over low heat, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and let sit 8 minutes.
3.)Add vanilla and stir gently until mixture is smooth. Let cool until tepid.
Pour glaze over top of each cake, allowing it to coat the sides. Let cool, and store in refrigerator. If you prefer an actual ganache, you can melt down chopped white chocolate with a couple spoonfuls of whipping cream and a tbsp or so of butter in the microwave 10 seconds at a time until smooth, stirring after each time. This should come out much thicker. 

First and last pictures were taken by my talented best friend, Sarah Clark. You can see more of her work or contact her regarding pricing here.

Mini Devil's Food Cakes with Amaretto Pastry Cream Filling and White Chocolate Glaze