Cannoli Cupcakes

I meant to post this yesterday, but I've been working on my resume and stuff (preparing for a worst-case scenario at work) and time got away from me. I actually wasn't planning on these being my next post, but when I posted the photo on my Facebook, everyone started going bananas, so I figured I should share it with the world :) Cannoli shells are typically pretty light, but I always thought that was kind of silly. At least at the bakeries around here, those little shells are STUFFED and don't really hold up to the heaviness of the cream.

I wanted something that had the same flavors but with a little more oomph to it. These cupcakes are fairly dense, so if you're looking for a really good, fluffy yellow cake recipe, this probably isn't it. I do have a few that I'm looking at, so if I ever DO find a good yellow recipe (and I'm convinced it's out there, damnit!), I'll definitely share it. I've been comparing my recipe to some other that claim to be fluffy like the box mixes and I think I just need to cut back on the eggs and add a little more moisture. I'm planning on trying that out soon, so I'll report back as soon as I have some results.

In keeping with the cannoli theme, you'll notice that I did also try to fill the cupcakes. To do this, I just cut out little cones from each cupcake once they were cooled completely. Well, I say cones, but they really came out more square-shaped since that was a little easier for me to manage. The only thing I didn't account for was the mini chocolate chips getting stuck in the hole of my ziploc bag that I was using for piping the cream. Next time, I'll just need to cut off a bigger end piece than what I did before and I think it will be okay. If you have a piping bag, make sure you use a tip big enough for the chocolate chips to fit through, but truthfully, it will probably still get clogged. The best thing to do might be to use a small knife or something and try to fill the cupcakes that way.

I also found that I had more cannoli cream than I had cupcakes.  So, I'd say you should either a) be more generous with the cream, or b) eat it with a spoon (thanks mom!). 

Without any further ado.. cannoli cupcakes!

Cannoli Cupcakes
To print this recipe, click here

For the cupcakes:

1 stick butter, room temperature
1/2 c. + 2 Tbsp sugar
2 eggs
3/4 c. flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 c. milk
1 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 350°F.  Line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake papers.

In a medium sized bowl, combine baking powder, baking soda and salt; sift together and set aside.  In a small bowl, combine milk and vanilla; stir and set aside.

In a large bowl, beat butter eggs.  Add in sugar, beat until combined.  Starting and ending with dry ingredients, alternately add dry and wet ingredients and stir until combined.

Spoon batter into cupcake papers.  Bake for 20-22 minutes, until tops spring back when lightly pressed and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.  Let cool for a couple minutes in the tin, then remove cupcakes to a cooling rack and allow to cool completely before frosting.

For the cannoli cream:

16 oz. ricotta cheese
1/2 c. powdered sugar
2 Tbsp granulated sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips, plus more for garnish (optional)

Slightly strain ricotta.  Combine all ingredients except for chocolate chips in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat until creamy, about 3 minutes.  Stir in mini chocolate chips.

Yields 12 standard size cupcakes.

(Looks like I did get the middles filled, after all!)