Chocolate Cream Filled Vanilla Bean Cupcakes with Vanilla Bean Frosting
Mon, Feb 1, 2010
I have discovered the secret to world peace.
Ok, maybe not world peace, but at least momentary joy and happiness. I have been toying with the idea of a chocolate filled vanilla cupcake for a while. As it happens I have a soft spot for cream filled cupcakes, considering one is now my logo, and it made sense that I try to make a reverse version.
The results were far better than I could have hoped. The vanilla bean, aside from tasting fantastic, gave the finished cake and frosting some interest. Yes, white is pretty but it can be a bit dull. When I fed these cupcakes to my crack team of taste-testers they had no idea of the chocolaty goodness lurking inside. You have never seen so many delighted smiles.
Chocolate Cream Filled Vanilla Bean Cupcakes with Vanilla Bean Frosting Yield 1 dozen
For the Cupcakes:
1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup white sugar
1 egg
1 egg white
4 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
1/3 cup buttermilk
2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
For the Filling:
1 teaspoon water, hot
3 1/2 ounces marshmallow fluff
1/4 cup vegetable shortening
3 tablespoons powdered sugar
2 tablespoons Dutch-processed cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
For the Frosting:
1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
3 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup milk or cream
Heat the oven to 350 F and line a 12 cup muffin pan with paper liners.
In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk until well blended.
In a small bowl cream together the butter and sugar until well combined and lighter in color. Add the eggs and whisk until completely incorporated into the butter mixture. Whisk in the buttermilk.
Pour the wet ingredients over the dry and whisk until just combined and no large lumps remain. Scoop the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 18 to 22 minutes, or until the cakes spring back when pressed gently in the center.
Allow the cakes to cool in the pan for five minutes then carefully transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
In a small bowl combine all of the ingredients for the filling and whisk until completely mixed. Place the filling into a pastry bag fitted with a medium sized star tip.
Once the cakes are cooled completely take a small paring knife and poke it into the center of the cupcake in a cross pattern about 1 inch deep. Take the pastry bag and place the tip into the cross and pipe in about one tablespoon of filling, or until the filling just starts to come out of the hole. Clean off the tops of the cupcakes before frosting.
In a medium bowl combine the butter and vanilla bean paste. Add the powdered sugar and 3/4 of the milk. Whisk to combine. If the frosting seems stiff add the remaining milk. Frost the cupcakes as desired.
Enjoy!
Tags: chocolate filling, cream filled cupcake, cupcakes, Filled Cupcake, how to fill a cupcake, vanilla bean
Your cupcake are gorgeous!! I never knew to cut a small “x” in the top of the cupcake before filling. Great tip. I am a huge fan of the vanilla bean flecks from the vanilla bean paste! So pretty.
I love the hidden filling and the cupcake wrappers are super cute!
This is just a sin!
They look absolutely amazing.
looks amazing! i cant wait to try to make them!
but…i bake for a vegetarian (my boyfriend) and i think marshmallow fluff has gelatin in it…any substitution suggestions?
These look GREAT! I am going to make them now for my daycare kids! What a perfect treat to be waiting on the counter for my hungry munchkins when they get home from school! Thank you!!!
P.S. I love vanilla bean paste! It’s wonderful!
sometimes, all we need is a little simplicity and these cupcakes are simple goodness:)
tara – marshmallow fluff doesn’t have gelatin. only marshmallows. I know b/c my best friend is vegetarian and she loves marshmallow fluff.
Amazing. My daughter’s b-day is this weekend and I going to attempt to make these and another type…I hope it works cause I really want to experience one of these beauties.:)
Well, maybe not world peace, but they’d definitely bring peace to my boys who have been fighting non stop today
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You can see the little vanilla bean flecks sitting pretty in the frosting. Yum!
These look wonderfully delicious. I am going to try and make them gluten free, I will post the results.
Oh my!! These cupcakes look perfect. I enjoyed looking at the process photos. Thanks!!
Oh my… these look amazing! I would be very happy to discover such a choclatey surprise in my cupcake, I must make this at once!
Oh, now I know how to fill cupcakes. Very neat!
Gorgeous! You would definitely win many friends with these.
These look delicious! Love the step-by-step photos.
What happens if you eat up all the frosting before they get smathered on the cupcakes?? I’m capable of that.
These cupcakes look amazing. The reverse flavor action sounds delicious. I especially like the look of the frosting with those black vanilla specs. What size tip did you use to frost them?
Your cupcakes are stunning and the photos are mouth-watering. yummy!!!
Oooh…I’ve been meaning to take a stab at filled cupcakes. Thanks so much for posting the step-by-step pictures….this has officially been added to the Geek-Baker-Must-Make-List.
The finished product looks delightful!
Yum! I love the flecks of vanilla bean through the cupcake just beautiful. And i’m not a huge chocolate fan so this is right up my alley just the right dollop of choc with vanilla!
Just beautiful Kelly! World peace inducing indeed! Congrats on Top 9 today too.
These look great, I’ve never tried a recipe with vanilla bean paste before but these look just too good to pass up! Luckily my grocery store carries vanilla bean paste and now is a perfect excuse to finally buy some! Thanks!
This is absolutely sinful. I like the hint of vanilla beans extract here. I could I imagine the scent, just mouth watering. Thanks for the recipe, definitely gonna give it a shot.
Hi~
I’m making these this morning (they look soooo yummy!), and have a couple of quick questions about the directions. I’m confused about when to add the 4T of melted butter as well as when to add the vanilla:
“In a small bowl cream together the butter (*do I add the 4T butter here?) and sugar until well combined and lighter in color. Add the eggs and melted butter (*or do I add the 4T butter here??) and whisk until completely incorporated into the butter mixture. Whisk in the buttermilk.”
Should the vanilla be added after the buttermilk?
Thanks so much for the recipe!! Can’t wait to try the finished product.
Allison – Fixed the directions. Sorry about that!
Thanks so much, Kelly! These were unbelievably delicious!!! My husband & all his co-workers loved them (as did I). Awesome recipe.
@Tara
You could try Ricemallow fluff but regular old Marshmallow Fluff is def safe, too.
And Oooooo do these look amazing!!
I left a comment earlier that I was going to make these and I did yesterday! I used my own recipe to make a chocolate ganache filling because we don’t have Marshmallow Fluff in Australia. I really liked them, the only thing is that they were a bit too sweet for me, the frosting made my teeth hurt! But they were very good, nevertheless!
What tip do you use to make the frosting swirl on top? Your cupcakes always look so cute!
Cam – I use a large star tip for the frosting. Thank you!!
Those look fantastic! I must try this recipe…
Where do you find your vanilla bean paste? I live in Texas and have been looking for it. If I cannot find it, can I use equal parts vanilla extract?
Brittany – I get it at Central Market, but Williams Sonoma and other gourmet stores carry it. Yes, you can use regular vanilla measure for measure as a substitute.
Wow, thats a great idea, filling a cup cake. The cakes look really gorgeous!
Love it!!
Thank you so much for this great recipe. I went out to the next town over to find vanilla bean paste. Luckily, I found it at Kitchen Kapers, and was amazed with the difference in vanilla flavor. The chocolate cream filling and frosting was a hit for my family. Thank you again.
I went out and bought vanilla bean paste just so I could make these and all I can say is ….WOW!!! These are very pretty and easy to make. Very very sweet cupcakes.
yes, i also SPLURGED on the vanilla bean paste and made them for my coworker for her birthday. they were delicious!
question: my icing was WAY too thin for any kind of decorating tip and i only used 3/4 of the milk. how did you get your frosting so stiff to hold the shape?? and my frosting was almost too sweet to eat. any suggestions?