Devil's Food Cupcakes with Strawberry Fluff Frosting

I made these for my son's Valentine's playdate for the kids to decorate.  I had wanted to try out the raspberry fluff frosting from Martha.  It has marshmallow creme in it, and that might just be one of my favorite things in the world.  It's so wrong it's right.  I had no raspberry jam on hand so I used strawberry flavoring and a bit of pink food coloring.  It was glorious.  I have a thing for super fluffy desserts, and this frosting is as fluffy as it gets.

I liked the devil's food cupcakes, but my husband said it tastes too much like cake mix (and why go to the effort then) and didn't have enough moist chocolate flavor.  I'll stick to my usual chocolate recipe next time, but this frosting will definitely making a repeat appearance soon.

Devil's Food Cupcakes
slightly adapted from Martha Stewart


3/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
3/4 cup hot water
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/4 teaspoons coarse salt
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter
2 1/4 cups sugar
4 large eggs, room temperature
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup low fat Greek yogurt, room temperature


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Whisk together cocoa and hot water until smooth. In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
Melt butter with sugar in a saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring to combine. Remove from heat, and pour into a mixing bowl. With an electric mixer on medium-low speed, beat until mixture is cooled, 4 to 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Add vanilla, then cocoa mixture, and beat until combined. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture in two batches, alternating with the sour cream, and beating until just combined after each.

Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three- quarters full. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Transfer tins to wire racks to cool 15 minutes; turn out cupcakes onto racks and let cool completely. Cupcakes can be stored overnight at room temperature, or frozen up to 2 months, in airtight containers.

Strawberry Fluff Frosting
adapted from Martha Stewart

1 cup butter, softened
a few drops strawberry flavoring

3 cups marshmallow creme

1/3 cup confectioners sugar

In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat 1 cup butter on medium-high until smooth. Add marshmallow topping and confectioners' sugar and beat until fluffy and smooth, 3 minutes. Add flavoring and food coloring and beat until well combined.  Frost as desired. 


Linked to:
Mrs Fox's Sweet Party 
 Sweet Treats Thursday