From Martha Stewart's Cupcakes Book

makes 18 regular sized cupcakes 

 

The Cupcakes:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 
3/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-process 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 buttermilk 
3 tablespoons vegetable oil 
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 
3/4 cup warm water 

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line muffin tin with paper liners. Whisk together flour, cocoa, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. With mixer on low speed, add eggs, buttermilk, oil, extract, and the water; beat until smooth and combined.

2. Spoon the batter into liners about two-thirds full. Bake approximately 15 minutes, or until tester comes out clean. Transfer tins to wire racks and allow to cool for 10 minutes; turn cupcakes onto racks and let cool completely. Cupcakes can be stored overnight at room temperature, or frozen up to 1 month in air tight containers.

3. To finish, insert a knife into cupcake to create space for the filling. Use a small tipped piping bag and  squeeze  about 1 to 2 teaspoons of red cheesecake pudding into each cupcake. 

4. Pipe Dark Chocolate Frosting onto each cupcake, swirling as you frost to cover red filling hole. Cupcakes are best eaten the day they are filled and frosted. Store at room temperature in airtight containers - do NOT refrigerate. Enjoy!

Red Cheesecake Pudding Filling
1 package of Jell-O Instant Cheesecake Pudding Mix 
2 cups cold milk

1 - 2 tablespoons of red food coloring

1. Following the direction on the pudding mix box, whisk the pudding mix and cold milk until mixture starts to firm. Add in red food coloring until a vibrant shade of red appears.

Dark Chocolate Frosting
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon boiling water 
2 1/4 cups (4 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature 
3/4 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted 
1/4 teaspoon salt 
4 bars of Hershey's semi-sweet dark chocolate bar or 1 1/2 pounds best-quality semi-sweet chocolate, melted and cooled

1. Combine cocoa and boiling water, stirring until cocoa has dissolved.

2. With electric mixer on medium-high, beat butter, confectioners' sugar, and salt until pale and fluffy. Reduce speed to low. Add melted and cooled chocolate, beating until combined and scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Beat in the cocoa mixture. 

3. Frosting can be refrigerated up to 5 days, or frozen up to 1 month in an air tight container. Before using, bring to room temperature and beat on low speed until smooth again.