These are Some Hot Mommas: Bitter Chocolate Ancho Chile Cupcakes with Chocolate Kahlua Granache


See...I told you they were HOT MOMMAS! And, I'm not just talkin' about the cupcakes! I've had my eye on these ladies since I saw them at Michaels in the baking aisle (no less) a couple of months ago...intrigued I was. I finally got up the nerve to buy a couple...well...okay...a pack of them! I lknew I couldn't leave them naked...which they are...so I stuck some paper on their you know what!

Ok, then...now we get to the cupcakes...They really are HOT...oh, at first they just taste like dark, dusky, luscious chocolate, and you're really enjoying yourself...then your mouth begins to heat up (that's the ancho chiles making their presence known...so cool)...and just to add a little more interest you reach the Häagen-Dazs Mayan Chocolate ice cream INSIDE the cupcake...just a little spoonful!

Then, the granache is made with bittersweet chocolate chips, heavy cream...and Kahlua...all warmed up and mixed together. Then the cupcakes go into the freezer and you pull them 30 minutes before you serve them up...who can wait that long? Not me!




And, of course, we are training Nigel to join Layla at the cupcake trough! He's a quick learner...let me tell you. The unfortunate thing for him is that he is much shorter than Layla...who happens to be tongue-level usually with the cupcakes! On the other hand, he never gets his tongue on a cupcake like someone else I know, whose name I won't mention but starts with an L and ends with an A...hmmmm, that could me me, too, I guess!

Last week, the Cupcake Queen was in NYC...had a great time at the CASE conference...our team won 13 awards. The Gala Award Dinner was at the famous Rainbow Room on top of Rockefeller Plaza. WOW! It was so awesome and the party was just the greatest! The restaurant is operated by the Cipriani family and the food and service were amazing.

When we had some free time, we hopped into a cab and headed to Billy's Bakery. What a time we had....it was so much fun and as soon as we opened the door, all we could smell was butter and frosting and cupcakes! What a cute place!

Here is CQ with Angel...and he was one, too. We were ordering cupcakes to eat, cupcakes to take back home with us, cupcakes to eat on the train, Billy's teeshirts, cupcake cards, coffee...well, you get the picture. We were overwhelmed...we are just from Washington, DC, you know...it's no where as big as New York!

Margaret and Deb came with CQ to Billy's, and we sat there and just took in the ambience of the place. We just don't have anyplace like this in DC. Filled up with yummy vanilla and chocolate cupcakes, we made our way down to Chelsea Market, Soho, and ended up at the Vosges Haut-Chocolat Experience...we always seem to be eating...but here we drank exotic chocolate or "blanca" drinks and bought the "Gatsby Collection" for each of our honeys for Valentine's Day. Wow...what a day...what a week!

More photos at my FLICKR page.

Rock On!

CQ

11 comments:

  1. Anonymous9:49 PM

    I went to Vosges after Billy's, too! On the Vosges web site, you can order their cakes, ice cream, and brownies. Cupcakes can't possibly be far behind!

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  2. Anonymous10:53 AM

    OMG-I just went into sugar-y, chocolate-y overload...and I'm so jealous of your exploits...looks like you had a blast!!

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  3. These are fantastic! I just looked at your photos on flicker too - you are so talented!
    My son is allergic to eggs, and his second brithday is rapidly approaching. I am desperately searching for an egg free cake (or egg subsitute) that will not sink in the center. Do you have any ideas? So far, all the substitutes I have used have sunk so deep in the center, it's pathetic!

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  4. Anonymous10:02 PM

    They look beautiful. I bet they taste even better. I'm a great fan of spice and chocolate. Anything with chilli, cinnamon and good quality dark 70% chocolate (Fair trade if possible).

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  6. Oops - I didn't mean to delete that one.

    I was saying that these look fab, I have been looking for the right chocolate brand to try out some chilli chocolate cupcakes. I love your blog and check it every Monday. Keep up the fab work/play.

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  7. Those cupcakes look almost too pretty to eat! The cupcakes at the bakery look so awesome! They remind me of the ones at Magnolia Bakery in Manhattan.

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  8. Anonymous2:05 PM

    The Chocolate Apothecary here in Spokane makes a wicked, wonderful Mayan Hot Chocolate.
    Who knew that Hagen Dazs makes the same flavor of ice cream? Well, CQ knew, of course. So, I'll have to wait patiently for our next trip East and you can direct me on where to buy this fabulous ice cream flavor!
    Meanwhile, I'll be sipping my Mayan Hot Chocolate.

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  9. Anonymous4:31 PM

    I know it's all about the cupcakes but I can't help myself, I just saw the pix of Nigel. Is he a French Bulldog?

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  10. haven't you ever been to warren brown's Love Cafe on U street? they have a full on "cupcake bar"!

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  11. Anonymous3:06 PM

    Hi there! I feel bad requesting this recipe as, up until now, I've only been a lurker on this blog. I've searched here and there, near and far, high and low for this ancho chile cake and can't find it! Are you willing to share? Pretty, pretty, pretty please?

    And, have you checked out wwwdotcakecentraldotcom? It's an unbelievable, absolutely phenomenal resource on everything cake/cookie/frosting/etc. related. And it's freeeeee! Wheeeee!

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