Almond Joy Cupcakes

Eric’s boss recently celebrated his birthday, and I wanted to send something to his office that everyone would love. Who doesn’t love cupcakes, right? If you like Almond Joys, these cupcakes will not disappoint.

These cupcakes were phenomenal. I mean out-of-this-world, knock-your-socks-off phenomenal. The cupcakes were moist and chocolatey. The coconut cream cheese filling added texture and just the right amount of coconut flavor, and the ganache put these over the top.

Almond Joy Cupcakes
For chocolate cupcakes:
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 sticks (12 tbsp) unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup lightly packed brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:
-Preheat oven 350F.
-Prepare cupcake pan with liners.
-Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt in medium bowl. -In another medium bowl with an electric mixer on high, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy about 3 minutes.
-Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
-Beat in the melted chocolate.
-Reduce the speed to low and add the flour mixture alternately with the buttermilk in batches, beginning and ending with the flour mixture and beating until blended.
-Stir in vanilla.
-Fill the cupcake liners about 1/2-2/3 full.
-Bake until golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 17-20 minutes. -Allow to cool completely before frosting.

For coconut cream cheese filling:
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
4 cups confectioners’ sugar
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon coconut extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut

Directions:
-Beat the cream cheese and butter in a mixer bowl until light and fluffy.
-Gradually add the confectioners’ sugar, one cup at a time, alternating with heavy cream.
-Beat in the salt, coconut flavoring, and vanilla extract.
-Continue beating until mixture is smooth and spreadable.
-Add additional confectioners’ sugar if necessary to thicken the frosting, or more cream to thin. -Fold in the shredded coconut.

For chocolate ganache:
3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate
3/4 cup bittersweet chocolate
1/3 cup heavy whipping cream

Directions:
-In saucepan bring whipping cream to boil over high heat.
-Pour hot whipping cream over chocolate and stir until chocolate melted.
-You can add more cream if your ganache is too thick to spread.

To assemble the cupcakes:
-Remove center of cupcake using the cone method.
-Set cone aside.
-Trim the excess tip of the cone.
-Fill the cupcake with coconut cream cheese.
-Replace cone.
-Frost with ganache and garnish with almond.

Source: Hello, Cupcake! and I Heart Cuppycakes