BLACK LICORICE CUPCAKES W/BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

As black licorice lovers, we are constantly experimenting with various foods in which black licorice has been used.  These cupcakes have all of the moist goodness of a super cupcake while having a subtle black licorice flavor.  Even people who don’t normally like black licorice love these cupcakes!  They melt in your mouth!

 

 

Makes 24 cupcakes.

 

Cake ingredients:

 

 

8 oz black licorice – chopped into 1” pieces

1 cup water

 

 

White cake mix (we like Pillsbury Moist Supreme)

½ cup water (the water requirement was reduced from 1 cup due to the water in the licorice mix.)

1/3 cup oil (we use canola)

3 large eggs
Cupcake pans and cupcake pan liners

 

 Butter Cream-Frosting ingredients:

¼ cup water

1 1/8 cup sugar

6 large eggs, whites only

3 sticks unsalted butter - cut into 1” pieces, room temperature.

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Paste food coloring  (optional)
Good 'N Plenty candy

Chop licorice into 1 inch pieces. 

Add licorice and 1 cup of water to a small saucepan. 

Melt together over low heat, stirring frequently.  The mixture will be thicker than molasses and will have some flecks of licorice remaining.  This is ok. 

Allow the licorice mix to cool to the touch.

Measure out all of the cake ingredients. 

Place all of the cake ingredients into a mixing bowl. 

Add licorice mixture. 

Mix on low speed or stir until combined.  The cake batter will be thicker than regular cake batter.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Arrange cupcake liners in cupcake pan.

Place an equal amount of the mix into each liner – we use an ice cream scoop for consistency.

Bake at 350 degrees for 15 to 18 minutes.  They are finished cooking when a toothpick inserted into the center of the cupcake comes out clean.

Remove from oven and allow to cool.

Separate egg whites from 6 large eggs, set aside.

Measure out all of the ingredients for the frosting.

Combine ¼ cup water and 1 1/8 sugar in a saucepan.

Cover with lid and bring to boil over medium heat.  The steam will help melt the sugar.

Boil the mixture until it reaches 240 degrees (soft ball stage) using a candy thermometer - about 7 minutes.

After about 5 minutes of boiling the syrup, place the egg whites into a mixing bowl and beat at high speed until stiff peaks form.

With the mixer on high, slowly add the sugar syrup to the egg whites.  Be sure to add the sugar syrup by pouring it on the side mixing ball – avoid the whip while pouring.

Beat until the bowl is cool to the touch – about 10 minutes.

Slowly add the 3 sticks of room temperature butter, which has been cut into 1” pieces. Reduce speed to low when the butter cream frosting begins to jump.

Continue beating on low while adding the butter.

Add 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract.

Add any food coloring now (paste type food coloring works best).

Beat until the frosting is fluffy.  If the frosting looks curdled, don’t worry, just keep beating on low.  It will become smooth.

Spoon the butter-cream frosting into a pastry bag or a large zip lock bag (you’ll need to snip a corner of the zip lock bag).

Squeeze the bag from the top down, pushing the frosting out of the tip or the snipped hole. 

Starting on the outside of each cupcake, apply the frosting in a circle working toward the center.

Decorate with Good 'N Plenty or your choice of candy or sprinkles.