Dark Chocolate Cupcakes featuring Ferrero Rondnoir

Ferrero has a new chocolate and it’s deliciously dark.

The new Ferrero Rondnoir offers layer upon layer of creamy, crunchy dark chocolate and an exquisite dark chocolate praline centre. Rondnoir is the perfect after dinner praline, great with a glass of red wine or a cappucino and a tempting treat for times when you’re feeling indulgent.

After spoiling myself with a few Rondnoirs, I was inspired to make a rich and indulgent dark chocolate cupcake that’s just as delightful.

Dark Chocolate Cupcakes featuring Ferrero Rondnoir

I searched high and low for a dark chocolate cupcake recipe that was rich in flavour but light in texture (no easy feat). I eventually stumbled upon a recipe by CAKE ON THE BRAIN who attests that her chocolate cupcakes were the best ever. For the icing, I needed something that had the same melty softness as the chocolate’s praline centre. And thanks to Martha Stewart’s Baking Handbook, I had the perfect Chocolate Fudge Frosting to complement my dark chocolate cupcakes.

And here you have it…. the Dark Chocolate Rondnoir Cupcake. The soft texture of the cake balances beautifully with the subtle crunch of the Rondnoir, while the chocolate fudge frosting melts in your mouth as with the praline.

Dark Chocolate Cupcakes (makes 12 cupcakes)

120g unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
55g dark chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup Dutch-processed cocoa
3/4 cup plain flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp baking powder
2 large eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp table salt
1/2 cup sour cream

1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position; heat oven to 175 degrees. Line standard-sized muffin pan (1/2 cup capacity) with cupcake wrappers (the fancy kind preferred!).

2. Combine butter, chocolate and cocoa in medium heatproof bowl. Set bowl over saucepan containing barely simmering water; heat mixture until butter and chocolate are melted and whisk until smooth and fully combined. Set aside to cool until just warm to touch.

3. Whisk flour, baking soda and baking powder in small bowl to combine

4. Whisk eggs in second medium bowl to combine; add sugar, vanilla and salt and whisk until fully incorporated. Add cooled chocolate mixture and whisk until combined. Sift about one-third of flour mixture over chocolate mixture and whisk until combined; whisk in sour cream until combined; then sift in remaining flour mixture and whisk batter until it is homogeneous and thick.

5. Divide batter evenly among muffin pan cups. Bake until skewer inserted into center of cupcakes comes out clean, 18-20 minutes.

6. Cool cupcakes in muffin pan on wire rack until cool enough to handle, about 15 minutes. Carefully lift each cupcake from muffin pan and set on wire rack. Cool to room temperature before icing, about 30 minutes.

Chocolate Fudge Frosting (enough for 12 cupcakes)

170g dark chocolate, chopped
3 tablespoons cocoa
125g butter (room temperature)
1-2 cups icing sugar

1. Chop the chocolate and place in a heat proof bowl. Melt over a pan of gently simmering water. Remove from heat and let cool for 15 – 20 minutes.

2. Dissolve the cocoa powder in boiling water in a small bowl, until ti forms a thick paste (around 5 tablespoons of water). Set aside.

3. In an electric mixer, beat butter until creamy. Scrape the bowl.

4. Add 1/2 cup of powdered sugar and beat to combine.

5. Add cooled, melted chocolate and beat to combine.

6. Add cocoa paste and beat to combine.

7. Check consistency of frosting, if needed add more powdered sugar, 1/2 cup at a time.

Assembly

Scrape frosting into a piping bag with a large icing tip. Pipe the frosting onto each cupcake, make a nice large swirl. Unwrap your Ferrero Rondnoir and place on top.