3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
2 eggs
3/4 cup hot water
3/4 cup heavy cream
3 tbsp canola or other vegetable oil
2 tsp vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Line muffin tin with cupcake papers and set aside.
Sift together cocoa, flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt into a large bowl. Add eggs, water, heavy cream, oil and vanilla. Mix with a hand held mixer until smooth.
Divide batter among muffin cups, filling each half full. Bake for 20 minutes. Let cool before frosting.
Frosting:
2 sticks softened butter
4 cups confectioners' sugar
4 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment, cream together sugar, cocoa and butter; beginning on low speed then increase to high. Beat until fluffy and lightened in color. Transfer mixture to a piping bag fitted with a decorative tip. Frost cupcakes.
Strawberries:
18-24 Strawberries - you'll need as many as you have cupcakes
Vodka, rum, or your choice of liquor 80 proof or higher (over-proof such as 110 will give you a yellow flame)
Hollow the strawberries carefully. If you pierce the side of the strawberry accidentally, start with a new one. Since you'll be setting the liquor aflame, it is important that your strawberry is leak-proof.
Set one strawberry atop each frosted cupcake. Fill strawberries with liquor just before lighting (see tips). If you need to light them all at once, (say, for a party) use a turkey baster to quickly fill all the strawberries and a grill lighter in lieu of matches.
Notes for flaming strawberries:
- Any alcohol below 80 proof will not light well. I used 80 proof and got a nice blue flambe'. I've been told that using an over-proof liquor (anything above 100) will give you a real fire, or a full yellow flame.
- You can add a little sugar to the inside of the strawberry to sweeten things up. However, the flame seems to last longer without the addition of sugar.
- Make sure to use a liquor that you like. Vodka is a good choice if you want very little flavor.
- Alcohol evaporates, so light the strawberry soon after you spoon the liquor in.
- Do I have to say it? Probably not, but my conscience will not let me go without. Do not attempt to eat a flaming strawberry. It's a relatively short burn time, lasting about 30 seconds to 1 minute. So, enjoy but be careful. Use your noodle.
