Flourless Chocolate Cupcakes with White Chocolate Cream Cheese Icing

I made these cupcakes for the first time this weekend for a dear friend who happens to be gluten free. I searched high and low on the Internet and found this recipe. It was a great find. My gluten free friend said they were the best cupcakes she has ever had! I also find them pretty awesome too. They are very rich and chocolaty with dark chocolate flavor.

The first time I made them I used a traditional buttercream icing. They tasted nice, but I had a new icing recipe I wanted to try this morning and MAN. The icing is amazing. Where did I find the recipe, you ask? (Or maybe you didn't, but I'm gonna tell ya anyway..)

A few months ago, Ina Garten happened to be at my local William Sonoma and I waited in line patiently for autograph. After 2 hours in line, I started to make a few friends. Those of you who know me well know I'm a terrible introvert, so most of those 2 hours was in silence ;) The woman behind me was a recent transplant to the DFW area and she was also a former pastry chef. As we talked about recipes, she offered up her white chocolate cream cheese icing. She emailed it to me later that day and it has been snugly hidden in my email inbox ever since. Until today...when I released it and it will NEVER be hidden again!

I think the icing is amazing on the cupcakes. I also think it would be wonderful on carrot cake. But that is for another day....

Enjoy!

Gluten Free Chocolate Cupcake link:
http://www.instructables.com/id/Flourless-Chocolate-Cupcakes/
(The website isn't the prettiest, but the cupcakes are worth it.)

White Chocolate Cream Cheese Icing

2 Ounces white chocolate
8 Ounces cream cheese, softened
½ Cup unsalted butter
1 Tsp Vanilla extract
4 Cups confectioners sugar
2 Tbs heavy cream


Melt the white chocolate, stir until smooth and cool to room temperature.
Beat together the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Mix in the white chocolate and vanilla. Gradually beat in the confectioners sugar until fluffy.
Mix in heavy cream to adjust consistency.


The cupcake recipe makes about 9 cupcakes, so to have a decent amount I doubled it this time and the icing makes enough for 18 cupcakes.