Cream-filled Chocolate Cupcakes

I heart my mummy! I miss her terribly having been away for almost 1.5 years. This is the longest I have been away from her. And this is the 2nd Mothers' Day I am not with her. I admit I never knew how much I took her for granted until I moved out and away. I often miss her incessant questions about my day after work, her horrid cooking, her hilarious bimbotic comments, and mostly, I miss just having her around. Well - you always feel safe with your mother around. Nothing could possibly be that bad with mummy around, right?

In celebration of Mothers' Day, here are cream-filled chocolate cupcakes from Martha Stewart (simple cos everything she bakes is awesome). Her recipe called for store-bought marshmallow creme but I figured the whole point about baking is to make everything from scratch right? So off I went to make my own marshmallow creme!

I'm not sure what the bottled ones taste like but this homemade creme is pretty darn good! Paired with a moist chocolate cupcake - yummmmmmmmy!

Cream-filled Chocolate Cupcakes

(bakes 12 cupcakes)

Chocolate cupcakes

- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (at room temperature)

- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

- 1 cup flour

- 1 teaspoon baking powder

- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda

- 1/4 teaspoon salt

- 1 cup white granulated sugar

- 2 eggs

- 1/2 cup sour cream

Marshmallow creme filling:

- 1/2 cup white granulated sugar

- 1/4 cup water

- 1/2 cup + 1/8 cup light corn syrup

- 1/4 cup egg whites

- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (at room temperature)

1. Marshmallow creme recipe: Beat the egg whites and 1/8 cup light corn syrup until stiff peaks form. Set it aside.

2. In a small saucepan, combine the sugar, 1/2 cup light corn syrup and water, cover and bring it to a boil. Then, cook it uncovered without stirring, until it is about 242 degrees F.

3. Slowly, pour the hot syrup into the egg whites mixture. Add the vanilla and beat for 5 mins.

4. Scoop out 1 1/2 cups of the creme and add the butter to it. Beat until the mixture is smooth. Then refrigerate it until it thickens and ready for use.

5. Chocolate cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a muffin tray with paper liners.

6. Whisk together the cocoa powder, flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

7. In another bowl, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

8. Add the eggs, one at a time and beat well after each addition.

9. Then add the flour mixture alternating with the sour cream (flour - sour cream - flour). Beat well after each addition.

10. Fill the muffin cups with the batter, filling it 2/3 full.

11. Bake for 25 - 30 mins, until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Let the cupcakes cool completely before assembly.

12. Assembly: Scoop out the tops of the cupcakes and fill them with the marshmallow creme. Then, replace the tops.

13. You can decorate the tops of the cupcakes with the remaining creme.

As these cupcakes were baked, I wished from the bottom of my heart, that Mummy got to have the first bite. I heart my Mummy.