Bumpy Cake Cupcakes

What is a Bumpy Cake? I can’t believe you’ve never heard of them! Ok, ok… I’ll be honest, I hadn’t either until I moved to Detroit. They were created by Sanders Fudge (originally from Detroit) and apparently are a staple of East Siders. But once you have one you’ll want more.

So what is a Bumpy Cake? Chocolate Coffee Cake with Butter Cream Piping all topped off with poured fudge over top. This is probably the most involved cupcake recipe I’m doing, and I destroyed my kitchen doing it – but it was worth it. Ready to try some bumpy cakes and get your sugar buzz on? And yes, these are gluten free!

For the Cupcakes (or cake)

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup Hot Black Coffee
• 1/2 cup Cocoa
• 1/2 cup Vegetable Oil
• 1 cup Buttermilk
• 1 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 2 tsp Vanilla Extract
• 2 Eggs
• 2 cups Sugar
• 1 1/4 cup White Rice Flour*
• 3/4 cup Tapioca Starch*

*If you’re not making these gluten free use 2 cups all purpose flour!

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees
2. Get your coffee going – this is where it’s good to have a Keurig or a single coffee cup maker. You can always make a large pot and get your Joe set for the day!
3. In a large bowl add your coffee and cocoa. Mix well. Add in your oil and beat until combined. Add each of the following ingredients separately and mix until well combined: Buttermilk, Baking Soda, Salt, Vanila, Eggs and Sugar.
4. Add in your flours and mix completely for around 5 minutes.
5. Fill your cupcake liners only 1/2 to 3/4 of the way. Your cake batter is thin but will puff up, so if you over fill them your cupcakes will overflow.
6. Bake your cupcakes 18-22 minutes until tester comes out clean. (35-40 minutes for a 13″ x 9″ cake.
7. Allow to cool for 15 minutes and move to a cooling rack. Place them all in the freezer for 30 minutes.

After your cupcakes have been cooling in the freezer for 30 minutes it’s time to make the piping icing. This is a butter cream meringue – not marshmallow like a lot of people think!

If you’re making cupcakes only make 1/2 batch of this, or you will end up with a LOT left over!

Ingredients:

• 2 cups Butter, softened (room temp or a little more)
• 2 cups Sifted Powdered Sugar
• 2/3 cups Sweetened Condensed Milk
• 2 large Egg Whites
• 1/2 cups Sifted Powdered Sugar
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1/2 tsp Vanilla
• 1/2 cups Powdered Sugar

Directions:

1. In your stand mixer put in your egg whites. Use the whisk attachment and whisk until you get stiff white peaks. Add in 1/2 cup powder sugar slowly. Continue to whisk.
2. In a large mixing bowl place your butter and 2 cups powdered sugar. Mix on low speed until a smooth paste is created. Slowly add your Sweentened Condensed Milk.
3. Combine your meringue mixture slowly into your butter mixture.
4. Add your salt, remaining 1/2 cup of powdered sugar and vanilla. Mix until well combined.
5. Spoon the icing into a large zip top back and push all to one corner. With your kitchen scissors cut off the tip of the corner.
6. Pipe two thick lines of icing on top of each cupcake. For a cake pipe large 1 inch thick lines over the top of the cake.
7. Re-place your cupcakes in the freezer for 15-30 minutes.

They’re looking good already – but we’re not done. It’s time to make the pour-able fudge! You do need a candy thermometer for this step.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Buttermilk, separated
• 1 cup Sugar
• 1/3 cup Corn Syrup (I used light)
• 1/3 cup Cocao
• dash Salt
• 1/2 lb. (2 sticks) butter, divided
• 2 1/2 cup Powdered Sugar
• 1 tsp Vanilla

Directions:

1. Over medium-high heat, combine 1/2 cup buttermilk, sugar, corn syrup, salt and half the butter. Bring mixture to a boil.
2. When mixture reaches the soft-ball stage (240 degrees) remove from heat. Add remaining butter, powdered sugar, vanilla and remaining 1/2 cup buttermilk.
3. Remove your cupcakes from the freezer, and place the cooling rack over a large cookie sheet.
4. Pour fudge over each cupcake trying to cover your piped icing.
5. Place your completed cupcakes back in the freezer for about 15 minutes for the fudge to set up.

Now, I will admit my cupcakes didn’t turn out the most beautiful. But they are delicious! Be very careful when making your fudge, if it crosses over the 240 degree soft-ball stage you will start to get a bit of toffee in your fudge. They still taste great!

This recipe is part of the Food Challenge with two other bloggers. You can check out the recipes below for this challenge! Each month we’ll be doing another challenge – let us know if you try any of the recipes!