You voted and I listened! Chocolate Lava Cake Cupcakes was the recipe that received the most votes for me to demonstrate, so that is what you will find in the blog. Additionally, you will find a teaser review of the cozy mystery and why this series continues to be one of my favorites!
This is book 13 in the Cupcake Bakery Mystery series. Mel and Angie have grown quite a bit (both literally and figuratively) since the beginning of the series. Angie is due to deliver her baby any day and Mel is finally marrying her love, Joe. Author Jenn McKinlay has lovingly attended to the growth of her characters while also providing a murder mystery that involves beloved side character Oz.
For Batter or Worse by Jenn McKinlay
Chocolate Lava Cake Cupcake
from a cozy mystery:
For Batter or Worse
by Jenn McKinlay
Book Outline and Tone:
If you have even had the privilege to mentor someone, then you will be able to understand why Mel is so fervent in her attempts to clear Oz from suspicion of murder. Oz has been with Fairy Tale Cupcakes since he was a high school intern. Mel and Angie have seen him through awkward times, creative times, and the time it took him to get through culinary school. So when Oz admits that he is looking for a job as a pastry chef, while they are not surprised, they are sad to see him go.
Oz finds himself working at a luxury resort, the same place where Mel and Joe will be getting married in a few short days. Oz pulls out all the stops to create lavish cupcakes for the wedding. But now his baking expertise is in jeopardy because the head chef at the resort is found dead in the pastry kitchen. In the cutthroat world of executive kitchens, there is no shortage of suspects, but the resort owner’s wife claims she was having an affair with Oz. What a crazy idea!
Mel and Angie’s personal lives keep this novel relatable. Angie is very pregnant and Mel is about to get married. The families bond over these life events in ways that make the reader long to be a part of their supportive families. I will not give away any spoilers, but the family events play a big part of the novel’s resolution.
The Best Quote:
“Mel studied the bag in her hands and marveled that if twelve-year-old her had known that one day she would actually be Mrs. Joe DeLaura, she would likely have had a heart attack and keeled over dead right then and there. Good thing she hadn’t known.”
Point of View:
Third person with the reader knowing Mel’s thoughts.
The Author: Jenn McKinlay
Jenn McKinlay is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author. Her website not only lists all of her books but has a pretty fascinating bio page. She is a skateboarder, has been in a glider plane, and has lived both on the east coast and in the west. I would tell you more, but I rather encourage you to check out her website. Jenn McKinlay has an active presence on Facebook, Instagram, and her website. Give her a shout out on social media and let her know what you think of her books and desserts.
What is not to like?:
I have but one complaint about this novel and that is the name chosen for Angie’s baby. It is one of those combinations names made up of 2 other names. I simply must state I am not a fan of made up names that the poor child will have to repeatedly correct other’s pronunciations. Ok, I’m done ranting.
The verdict:
The characters in this series make me smile, they are so relatable and fun to read about. As with all the books in this series, keep reading them!
Disclaimer: In the name of full transparency, please be aware that this blog post contains affiliate links and any purchases made through such links will result in a small commission for me (at no extra cost for you).
Chocolate Lava Cake Cupcakes
Assemble the Ingredients:
Lava filling: Cupcake batter: Ganache frosting
Lava Center
In a medium saucepan, heat the whipping cream on medium-high heat.
Slowly add in the chocolate chips, stirring until the chips are melted and the mixture is smooth.
Refrigerate for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Mixture should thicken. I placed the filling in a glass bowl and placed that glass bowl in another bowl filled with water and ice, then into the refrigerator.
Chocolate Cupcakes
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners or even better, use some silicone reusable cupcake liners. They are dishwasher safe!
Reusable, oven and dishwasher safe comes in many colors.
Sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cocoa, and salt.
Set aside.
In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until well blended.
Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition,
then stir in the vanilla.
Add the flour mixture alternately with the milk; beat well.
Scoop the batter into the cupcake liners until each is one-fourth full.
Spoon the chilled lava center onto the batter and cover with remaining batter until the liners are two-thirds full.
Bake for 18 to 20 minutes.
Makes 12 cupcakes.
Ganache Frosting
In a medium saucepan, bring the cream to a boil then remove it from the heat.
Stir in the chocolate until it is melted and smooth, then stir in the vanilla and salt.
Let the ganache stand at room temperature for 5 minutes, then move the ganache to the refrigerator and chill until it thickens and becomes shiny and spreadable.
This could take anywhere from 15 to 30 minutes, depending on the temperature of your refrigerator.
Frost the top of the cooled cupcakes with the cooled ganache and enjoy!
The lava trick…..
When I baked these, the lava ended up cooking into the cake batter and was not runny as this picture showed. I STRONGLY RECOMMEND keeping the extra lava for serving time. When I presented these to my family, I cut the cupcakes in half and scooped a bit of the lava onto the center. This gives the cupcakes the look of lava, even though they didn’t bake that way.
Chocolate Lava Cake Cupcakes
Ingredients
Lava Filling
- ¾ cup whipping cream
- ½ cup semisweet chocolate chips
Chocolate Cupcakes
- 1⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ⅛ tsp salt
- 3 Tbsp butter, softened
- 1½ cups sugar
- 2 eggs
- ¾ tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup milk
Ganache Frosting
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- 8 ounces dark chocolate chips
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
Instructions
Lava Filling
- In a medium saucepan, heat the whipping cream on medium-high heat.
- lowly add in the chocolate chips, stirring until the chips are melted and the mixture is smooth.
- Refrigerate for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Mixture should thicken.
Chocolate Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners or use silicone baking cups.
- Sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cocoa, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until well blended.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition,
- then stir in the vanilla. Add the flour mixture alternately with the milk; beat well.
- Scoop the batter into the cupcake liners until each is one-fourth full.
- Spoon the chilled lava center onto the batter
- cover with remaining batter until the liners are two-thirds full.
- Bake for 18 to 20 minutes.
Ganache Frosting
- In a medium saucepan, bring the cream to a boil then remove it from the heat.
- Stir in the chocolate until it is melted and smooth, then stir in the vanilla and salt.
- Let the ganache stand at room temperature for 5 minutes, then move the ganache to the refrigerator and chill until it thickens and becomes shiny and spreadable.
- This could take anywhere from 15 to 30 minutes, depending on the temperature of your refrigerator.
- Top baked and cooled cupcakes with ganache
- Check to see if lava flows when cutting in half, if not add a small scoop of lava filling to the center of a cupcake cut in half and serve.
What would I do differently next time?
This is the first time I’ve made a lava-type cake. I was skeptical when I was assembling them that the lava would flow out after baking. I was right. The lava seemed to bake into the cupcake (in a separate layer). However, the cupcakes are so delicious that I did not mind adding a lil dollop of the lava when I served the cupcakes to my family.
Salted Caramel Cupcakes from Sugar and Iced by Jenn McKinlay
Pistachio Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Fig Frosting from Going Going Ganache by Jenn McKinlay
Raspberry Lemon Cupcakes from Sprinkle with Murder by Jenn McKinlay
French Toast Cupcakes from Red Velvet Revenge by Jenn McKinlay
Orange Dreamsicle Cupcakes from Buttercream Bump Off by Jenn McKinlay
Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes from Pumpkin Spice Peril by Jenn McKinlay
