Fancy Hostess Cupcakes (GF)

As much as I might enjoy baking cupcakes that strive towards elegance in flavor and style, I also enjoy certain baked goods that some may categorize as "trashy" junk food.

While I've never been much of a Twinkie girl, Hostess makes more than one snack cake I adore-
Second place is taken by the always beautiful hot pink coconut-coated SnoBall and first place is (what else) the original chocolate Hostess cupcake.

These cupcakes are a bit of an homage to the original, except are gluten free, sans lard, and imbued with some fanciness. The cake is adapted from Martha Stewart's One Bowl Chocolate Cupcake recipe and it is without a doubt my new go-to gluten free chocolate cake recipe.

For the One Bowl Chocolate Cupcakes (makes 20-24)

1/2 cup, plus 2 tbsp white rice flour
1/2 cup potato starch
2 tbsp sorghum flour
1/4 cup almond meal
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
3/4 cup warm water
3/4 cup buttermilk
3 coconut oil or canola oil
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

PS: If you're not Gluten Free, replace the flours and starches with 1 1/2 cups AP flour

Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees. Line two 12-cup muffin tins with liners. Set aside.

Place flours, starch, almond meal, and cocoa powder in food processor and whirl until fully combined. Place in large bowl. Add sugar, salt, eggs, water, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla extract. Stir with large spoon until fully combined, scraping the sides of bowl as you mix.

Fill each cupcake liner about 2/3 way full. Bake at 325 degrees until cupcakes spring back to the touch (about 20 minutes).

For the Chocolate Glaze:

2/3 cup heavy whipping cream
1 tbsp corn syrup
4 oz bittersweet or dark chocolate, finely chopped

Heat cream and corn syrup in small sauce pan over low-medium heat until sides are bubbly. Add chocolate and stir or whisk continually until chocolate is fully melted and incorporated. Use glaze immediately.

For the Cream Filling:

1 1/2 cups chilled heavy whipping cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 tbsp sugar

Add whipping cream to bowl of stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment. Mix on medium-high until mixture starts to thicken. Slowly add sugar and vanilla. Continue to mix until thick whipped cream forms.

For the Strawberry Sauce:

1 cup fresh strawberries, chopped
1 tsp lemon juice
3 tbsp water
3 tbsp sugar

Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan and place over low-medium heat. Continue heating covered for about five minutes. Uncover, stir, and cook an additional 1-2 minutes. Mixture should be thick and berries should have released juices. Allow strawberry sauce to cool.

To Assemble:

Once cupcakes have cooled, cut out the center of each one using a paring knife. Fill each cupcake with a teaspoon of strawberry sauce and top with a piping of cream filling. Continue until all cupcakes are filled. Dip each cupcake into chocolate glaze, holding over bowl until excess has dripped off. Once cupcakes are somewhat dry (place in fridge for about 30 minutes or freezer for 10 minutes), use a thick freezer bag or pastry bag filled with chocolate to pipe swirls on top of the cupcakes.