Surprise Mickey Mouse cupcakes

Oh Toodles!

Vaanya, my bundle of joy, my angel, turns three today!

It was on this very day that our family was blessed with her. I can vividly remember her pretty pink face and her tiny cherub fingers and toes which made me wonder how did God create such a beauty. With time she grew all the more adorable and has filled our lives with unaccountable happiness and joy. 

This entire month has been all about mickey mouse because it is Vaanya's current fascination. With a mickey toy tucked in her arm she loves to sing and dance to the Mickey mouse clubhouse tune. So naturally, Mickey mouse had to be the  theme for her birthday celebration. 

With her birthday falling in the Summer vacations, it was decided to celebrate it with family in Allahabad and Lucknow. It has been so much fun to see the entire family gearing up to the theme with everyone putting in their ideas and inputs. From invitation cards to the cake, decorations to gift bags it is going to be all about Mickey mouse clubhouse.  

While I was doing my bit of research on the theme, I found these very attractive Mickey mouse cupcakes here. The surprise element in the cupcake with a mickey mouse inside it was fascinating enough to attempt. Though mine did not come out as neat as in the original, it was so much in the spirit of the birthday theme. The free download printables-mickey mouse cupcake wrappers and toppers have made them look all the more adorable. 

More about the birthday celebration in another post. 

Ingredients : For 5 cupcakes

Vanilla part:

• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 40 gms butter, room temperature (I used Amul)
• 1/4 tsp vanilla essence

Chocolate part: to make the inside mickey mouse

• 1 egg
• 3/4 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1/4 cup +2 tbsp cocoa powder
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp instant coffee powder (I used Bru)
• 40 gms butter

Chocolate ganache icing:

• 1/2 cup grated dark chocolate
• 1/2 cup cream (I used Amul)

 Procedure : 

Mickey mouse chocolate part:

Preheat oven to 180 degree Celsius.

Prepare a small baking pan by greasing and flouring it. 

Melt butter in a pan over low heat. Add sugar and mix well.

Remove from heat and allow to cool.

Add egg and mix well.

Sift flour with cocoa powder, coffee powder and baking powder.

Add this to the butter mixture and mix well. 

Pour batter in the prepared pan and bake for 20-25 minutes or till a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Allow to cool completely and keep aside for further use.

Vanilla part : 

Preheat oven to 180 degree Celsius.

Prepare cupcake tins by lining them with cupcake liners or just grease and flour them.

Take butter and sugar in a bowl and beat it well it it turns pale and creamy.

Add egg and beat well.

Sift flour with baking powder and mix with the butter mixture. Add vanilla essence and mix. 

Assembly : 

Take half of the prepared chocolate part and crumble it well. (Enjoy the other half with a cup of tea/coffee)

Mix 1 tbsp of the vanilla part with it along with 2 tbsp water.

Ensure that the mixture is of the consistency of a dough. 

Spoon a tbsp of the vanilla part in the prepared cupcake tins.

Now make a small round shape with the chocolate mixture and place it int eh middle, over the vanilla part.

Repeat for all 5 tins.

Make a 2" long cylinder with the chocolate part, join the ends and make it into a circle and place it over the round shape. Repeat the same for remaining tins. 

Top the tins with equal quantity of the vanilla cake batter. 
For more details, please see the video here. 

Bake for 20-25 minutes or till a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Allow to cool. 

Chocolate Ganache icing : 
Gently heat the cream in a pan over low heat.
Remove from heat and add the chopped chocolate, and stir well.
Allow to cool.
As it cools it will, thicken.
Fill this in a patry bag with a star nozzle fitted and pipe over the cupcakes.
Serve, and surprise.
You will be able to see a mickey mouse from any angle.

Oh Toodles!

Amrita