DEVIL FOOD CUPCAKE RECIPE RECIPES

Steps:

• In a large mixing bowl, add eggs, oil, beer and mix until smooth.
• Add cake mix and mix and mix until just combined.
• Pour batter in two greased/ floured round cake pans (Dimensions: 8x2). Spread evenly with a spatula. 
• Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes or until an inserted toothpick in the center comes out clean.
• Allow the cakes to cool down completely.
• While the cakes are baking and cooking, prepare the chocolate frosting, following the recipe above.
• Place one cake on a cake board (same size as the cake).
• Spread frosting on top of the cake.
• Place the other cake on top of the frosting and gently press it to hold it into place.
• Ice the entire cake in a thin coating of frosting. This is called a "crumb coat" just to seal the crumbs together. Chill in the fridge for 20 minutes. 
• While the frosted cake is chilling, prepare the thick ganache by adding equal parts of heavy cream and chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat in the microwave at 30 second increments, mixing often, until smooth and creamy. 
• Place a cooling rack on a cookie tray. Place the cake on top of the rack. Don't remove its base board.
• Pour ganache on top of the cake and spread it all around the top and let it drip along the sides. Use a spatula to cover it entirely in a ganache coating. 
• When ganache is no longer dripping at the bottom, remove it from the rack and place it on a cake stand or serving plate.
• Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
• Frost swirls of chocolate frosting around the top of the cake.
• Decorate with chocolate rolls and sprinkle chocolate curls around the base of the cake. Enjoy! 

Steps:

• For the cupcakes: Position an oven rack in the center of the oven, and preheat to 350 degrees F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners, and lightly coat with cooking spray.
• Sift the flour, confectioners' sugar and 1/4 teaspoon salt through a fine sieve into a medium bowl; set aside.
• Combine the egg whites in a bowl and beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until frothy, about 2 minutes. Add the cream of tartar, and beat until soft peaks form, about 2 minutes. Gradually add the granulated sugar, about 1 tablespoon at a time. Increase the speed to medium-high, and continue beating until the peaks are stiff and very shiny, about 5 minutes. Beat in the vanilla and lemon zest. Remove the bowl from the stand.
• Sprinkle 1/4 of the flour mixture on top of the eggs, and gently fold in with a rubber spatula. Evenly fold in the remaining flour mixture in 3 additions.
• Divide the batter evenly among the lined muffin cups in messy mounds taller than the liners, and bake until the cupcakes spring back when gently pressed and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 14 to 16 minutes. Let cool in the pan for a few minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.
• For the halo decorations: Cut 12 sticks 1 inch long and about 1/8 inch thick out of the crystallized ginger. Trim the ends so they are straight across.
• Trace 12 circles on a piece of parchment with a 1-inch round cookie cutter. Turn the paper over; set aside. Fit one of the pastry bags with the tip.
• Microwave the candy coating in a small bowl, uncovered, at 40 percent power in 30-second increments, stirring in between, until melted and completely smooth. Transfer the candy coating to the pastry bag, and pipe it into 12 circles, using the parchment template as a guide. Set aside to let harden slightly. Pipe 1 small dollop of the candy coating directly onto each circle, and push a ginger stick into each so it is standing straight up. Let the halos harden completely.
• For the frosting: Bring a few inches of water to a boil in a saucepan that can hold a stand mixer's heatproof bowl above the water (or a large heatproof bowl if using a handheld mixer). Whisk the egg whites, granulated sugar, cream of tartar and a pinch of salt together in the bowl; set the bowl above the boiling water and whisk until the mixture is warm to the touch and the sugar dissolves, 1 to 2 minutes. Beat the egg white mixture with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until it is cool and forms stiff peaks, about 5 minutes.
• Decorate the cupcakes: Transfer the frosting to the remaining pastry bag, and pipe generous swirls on top of each cupcake, lifting the bag up quickly to make a peak. Push the ginger stem of a halo into each, and serve right away.