And for the finale, Ice Cream Cupcakes

As Stef so insightfully deduced~ I've been working up to an ice cream cupcake for the Ice Cream Cupcake Roundup. I of course waited until the last minute because I was trying to build up the "anticipation." No procrastination to see here folks, move along.


I wanted to use the Chocolate Covered Cherry Ice Cream I had made. The ice cream was already incredibly rich so I wanted the cupcakes to complement the flavor without trying to compete. I needed something simple but hearty enough to make a good base for ice cream. And then it dawned on me I should just carry over the almond flavor in a simple almond cake. I've wanted to use the Citron Honey I found at Trader Joe's for some time now and this recipe was the perfect excuse. It contains Yuzu fruit, think pink grapefruit honey. It added just a touch of zing to the cake. You could honestly substitute any honey in this recipe and get a great flavor I think.

I also debated the name round and round- striped? Tuxedo? Zebra? I decided to go with Chocolate Cherry Amaretto cause truth be told, these cupcakes are a celebration of almond and great chocolate. and I'm so gosh darn clever and creative like that


Chocolate Cherry Amaretto Ice Cream Cupcakes
makes 12 cupcakes

For the cupcakes:
5 oz. Almond Paste (1/2 of the can pictured)
1/4 cup Sugar
3 oz. unsalted Butter, chilled and cut into small pieces
2 T Citron Honey
2 large Eggs
2 T Amaretto
1/2 cup AP Flour
1/8 t Salt

Preheat oven 350 degrees. In a mixer bowl with paddle attachment, cream together almond paste and sugar. Let them fully incorporate on medium low setting for a good 2 minutes or more. Add in the butter pieces and continue on medium low, allowing the batter to get light and frothy, 5 minutes. Add honey, eggs, and amaretto one at time. Allowing each ingredient to be fully incorporated before adding the next. Scrape down sides well. Fold in flour and salt until just combined.

Prepare cupcake pan with metal liners (you'll want them easy to remove, you could use a silicone cupcake pan instead if you are into that sort of thing). I only filled the cupcake liners 2/3 full, the cupcakes won't rise a lot but I didn't want them too big as I planned to fill them with an ice cream layer later. If you try to keep them 1/2 to 2/3 full, you'll have a perfect amount of batter for one dozen cupcakes that just rise to the edge of the liner, no more. Bake for 15-18 minutes. The edges of the cake will just begin to turn brown and a toothpick inserted will come out clean. Allow to cool before removing from the pan. Place on to a tray and let them cool completely. Cover and place in freezer for several hours or overnight.

for the frosting:
8 oz. Mascarpone
2 oz. unsalted Butter, chilled and cut into small pieces
1 T Amaretto
1/2 cup Cocoa (I used Askinosie again)
3-4 cups Confectioner's Sugar


In mixer bowl with paddle attachment, cream together mascarpone and butter. It should be fluffy and fully incorporated. Add amaretto until well combined. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Sift together cocoa and sugar in separate bowl. Gently fold sugar/ cocoa into creamed butter mixture on low setting one cup at a time until you reach desired consistency.

Assembly:
You'll need approx. 1/2 pint of ice cream for 12 cupcakes.
Take out ice cream to thaw slightly. Remove cupcakes from freezer and take them out of their liners. Place new metal liners in a cupcake tray. With a very sharp knife, cut the cupcakes in half, placing the bottom half in the lined cupcake tray. Place the top half to the side, but keep track of who owns which top half (I arranged them on the counter to mimic the placement in the cupcake tray). I scooped the ice cream into a piping bag and then piped it on the bottom half. This probably isn't necessary and could have just been spooned and smoothed over the bottom half. Place the top halves back on the ice creamed bottom halves and push down gently to seal. Cover with wrap and place into the freezer for at least 2 hours. When frozen hard, remove from the cupcake pan and put on a tray. Frost as desired. Keep covered in freezer until ready to serve.


Coming Clean
By the way...do you have any idea how hard it is to photograph ice cream cupcakes when the only good light you get is outside and this outside happens to be like 90 degrees?!?! Fun times. And by fun times I mean times which involve lots of swearing and running back and forth to the freezer.

While the almond cakes were baking~ I thought I might have to gnaw my arms off they smelled so durn good. Lord gah almighty- it smelled ridiculously good in my kitchen. And I'll admit it. I scrounged every last bit of crumb I could get my hands on to taste them. The cupcakes were incredible! They beg to be soaked in something so I'll be revisiting this recipe again. The ice cream soaked into the cake as they froze and made the most incredible bottom layer.
Warning: Assembly may be hazardous to your health. Scooping ice cream into cupcakes may lead to scooping ice cream into your mouth as well.

And now I've posted enough to not feel guilty anymore this week, right? Cause to be honest I feel like the worst blog friend ever. I am spending my weekend getting caught up with all your wonderful blogs and the posts I've been desperately missing. Right after I go see the Sex and the City movie. And visit my wine bar that I haven't been to in ages (they've probably forgotten my name by now). And go to the Farmer's Market tomorrow morning. But right after that I swear I'm blog-stalking you, and you, and you! Mwauhhh!