Milk Chocolate Mousse Filled Dark Chocolate Cupcakes with Dark Chocolate Mousse Buttercream

Even though I'm happy with the result, these Milk Chocolate Mousse Filled Dark Chocolate Cupcakes with Dark Chocolate Mousse Buttercream didn't start out this way. Alas, my hopes of creating a cupcake out of Martha Stewart's  Triple Chocolate Mousse Cake as cupcakes were a bit a a failure. To my dismay and after 24 hours of chilling, the mousse does not hold up as frosting. 

I absolutely love mousse. Every year for my birthday, my Grandma would make a two tiered chocolate cake topped with yummy chocolate mousse. Thinking back, the mousse was held on top with a circle of frosting so no kitchen mishaps there. My grandma always the master.

At first, I tried to recreate Martha's cakes thinking that if I first chilled the mousse, that it would be firm enough to be frosting. And for a few minutes it was until the mousse on top of the cupcakes quickly became a pool of ooey-gooey mess. Yummy but very hard to eat. Believe me when I tell you, the mousses are amazing! To salvage the glorious milk chocolate and dark chocolate mousses, I filled the cupcakes with the milk and incorporated the dark into a frosting. 

Dark Chocolate Cupcakes
adapted from Baker's Royale
preheat oven to 375 degrees

3/4 cup dark chocolate dutch processed cocoa powder

12.25 oz all-purpose flour

1 1/4 cup caster sugar

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp of espresso powder

3/4 tsp salt

2 large eggs

3/4 cup warm water

3/4 cup buttermilk

3 tbsp vegetable oil

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1. Stir together cocoa and espresso powders, flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into a large bowl. 
2. Add eggs, warm water, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla, and mix only until combined with a wooden spoon.

Fill to about 2/3 full. Bake for about 15 minutes or until tester comes out clean. Set aside to cool.

Milk Chocolate and Dark Chocolate Mousse
adapted from Individual Chocolate Mousse

3 1/3 cups heavy cream
8 large egg yolks, room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup light corn syrup
7 ounces dark chocolate, melted
2 tsp vanilla bean paste
pinch salt
7 ounces milk chocolate, melted

1. Whisk 1 2/3 cups cream until soft peaks form. Refrigerate 1 hour.
2. Beat 4 egg yolks until pale and frothy, 4 to 5 minutes. 
3. Meanwhile, bring 1/4 cup sugar, 2 tbsp corn syrup, and 2 tbsp water to a rolling boil in a small, heavy saucepan over high heat. Cook until clear, large bubbles form, about 1 minute. 
4. Carefully pour hot syrup down side of bowl with eggs. Raise speed to medium-high. Mix until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. 
5. Stir in bittersweet chocolate, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and a pinch of salt with a rubber spatula.
6. Add one-third of dark chocolate mixture to whipped cream; whisk to combine. 
7. Add remaining dark chocolate mixture, whisking until completely combined. 
8. Press through a large-mesh sieve into a large bowl; discard any solids. 
9. Repeat entire recipe, substituting milk chocolate for the bittersweet.

Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours. Core cupcakes and fill with Milk Chocolate Mousse.

Dark Chocolate Mousse Buttercream Frosting 

1 cup unsalted butter, softened

3 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla bean paste

1/2 cup dark chocolate mousse

1 tbsp St. Brendan's Irish cream

1. Cream butter until light and fluffy. Add salt and vanilla. Mix well.
2. Add powdered sugar 1 cup at a time alternating with the mousse.
3. Add Irish cream. Add more cream or powdered sugar to achieve desired consistency.

Fill pastry bag with both and frost cupcakes. Add sprinkles if desired.