IC:E Entry #2 - Sundae is my Favorite Dae

Like many kids of my generation, I was raised in a single-parent household. My mom worked long hours to keep us fed and clothed, me in school and to make sure all our needs were cared for. She wasn't around a lot after-school so when the weekend rolled around, Sunday was my day to spend with her. We used to do all sorts of "neat" things as we said in the '70's, but my very favorite of all was our trips to the ice cream shop at one of the local hotels where we would indulge in Coke Floats (remember those?) and Ice Cream Sundaes!
The ice cream sundae is one of my personal favorite desserts (and boy, did they make those red-eye flights -- the only time we were allowed to travel business -- I used to take when working in advertising a lot more tolerable. Does American still do those?) It's been a long time since I've had one -- the French are more preferential to Peach Melba and Café Liégois on their ice cream menus -- and it was actually my French husband who suggested this idea for the IC:E Chocolate with a Twist Challenge. He's getting the cupcake earrings listed as one of the prizes if we win this one! See my previous post for more details on the challenge. And don't forget to vote for me during the 5-days following the baking period (5 days starting December 24), at No One Puts Cupcake in a Corner.
Here my friends is the recipe:
Sundae is My Favorite Dae Cupcakes
For 16 cupcakes:
4 ozs. unsalted butter/beurre doux, softened
1 cup sugar/sucre en poudre
1 large egg
1 tsp. baking soda/bicarbonate alimentaire
1 tsp. vanilla
½ tsp. salt
1 ½ cups flour
1 cup buttermilk /lait fermente
¼ cup hot water
1 tablespoon instant coffee
1/3 cup cocoa powder/chocolat en poudre
For the Whipped Cream/Crème Chantilly
1 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar
Assorted:
Caramel Sauce
Chocolate Sauce or Melted Chocolate
Crushed Peanuts
Chocolate Pearls or Sprinkles
Maraschino Cherry
• Pre-heat oven to 350F/180C. Grease or place cupcake liners into cupcake tins.
• To make cupcakes, cream together sugar and butter until smooth. Add egg, vanilla, baking soda, salt and mix until well-combined. Alternate adding flour and buttermilk in 3 batches, mix well until smooth. Add about 1/8 cup of hot water last and mix to combine
• In small bowl, mix instant coffee with half of the remaining hot water until dissolved. In a separate bowl, do the same with cocoa powder. Allow to cool a few minutes and then add a few tbsp. of batter into each bowl, mix until combined.
• Carefully, add the cocoa powder mixture and coffee mixture into main batter. Do not fully combine; instead you want to leave swirls of this visible in the batter. Fill cupcake pans.
• Bake for 17-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove cupcakes from tin and let cool on wire rack.
• To make whipped cream, pour cream into bowl and whip with electric mixer for 1 minute. Add sugar and keep whipping until it holds its form/peaks start to form. Spoon or pipe whipped cream on top of cooled cupcakes.
• Drizzle cupcakes with melted chocolate and caramel sauce (I make my own, click here for the recipe). Top with crushed peanuts, sprinkles, chocolate pearls or whatever else tickles your fancy. Top with Maraschino cherries. Serve with vanilla or your favorite flavor ice cream!