I make these cupcakes whenever I want to make someone happy, whether a child or an adult. They have a playful appearance, a flavor that evokes childhood and are great fun to assemble. With summer vacation now in full swing and the children at home, this is a wonderful opportunity to bring them into the kitchen and let them create these colorful cupcakes.
Once the cupcakes are ready, all you need to do is give them a piping bag filled with whipped cream, some gummy candy to form the rainbows and colorful sprinkles, then let them play in the kitchen. I promise you will end up with delightful little cakes that give you a chance to spend time together and produce a sweet dessert guaranteed to raise a smile.
Chocolate rainbow cupcakes
Ingredients for the cupcakes:
- 2 large eggs
- 100 grams sugar, about 1/2 cup
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/2 cup oil
- 1/2 cup chocolate drink powder
- 140 grams flour, about 1 cup
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
For the whipped-cream clouds:
- 250 milliliters heavy whipping cream, 32% or 38% fat
- 3 tablespoons vanilla pudding powder, about 30 grams
- 2-3 tablespoons powdered sugar
For the chocolate ganache:
- 100 milliliters heavy cream, 38% fat
- 100 grams dark or milk chocolate
For decorating:
- 6 flat multicolored gummy strips, available at candy stores and kiosks, cut in half
- Colorful sprinkles
Preparation
- Place the eggs and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat for 4-6 minutes, until pale and fluffy.
- Add the wet ingredients, the milk and oil, and whisk briefly until fully incorporated.
- Add the dry ingredients, the chocolate drink powder, flour and baking powder. Mix on low speed until the batter is smooth. Do not overmix, as this may make the cupcakes too dense.
- Line a muffin pan with paper liners and divide the batter among them. Fill each liner to slightly less than three-quarters full so the batter does not overflow during baking.
- Bake at 180°C for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cupcakes comes out with moist crumbs. Cool completely at room temperature before decorating.
- Place the chocolate and cream in a small bowl and melt in the microwave. Stir until the ganache is smooth and glossy.
- Coat each cupcake with chocolate ganache and wait 10 minutes before assembling.
- Meanwhile, whip the cream with the pudding powder and powdered sugar until stable peaks form. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a round nozzle.
- Scatter colorful sprinkles over the ganache-covered cupcakes. Cut two slits into opposite sides of each cupcake, each wide enough to hold the gummy strip. The slits do not need to be deep; about 1/2 centimeter is sufficient.
- Insert a gummy strip into the two slits so it stands in a semicircle, forming a rainbow.
- Pipe whipped-cream clouds around the ends of the gummy rainbow. Pipe freely in rounded swirls rather than in straight lines.