The Cupcake Addict's Cupcake Collection

So perhaps as a joke, Mr Shuck brought home a box of Hostess Cupcakes for me to review.  My first observation is that Hostess Cupcakes are a bargain!  $2.99 for 8!   My initial cupcake was completely consumed, so I guess it’s not THAT bad, considering I have left some cupcakes on the plate recently.  (By this very act, I think I have demonstrated to myself that I’m not a cupcake snob.)   The cake is okay….it’s moist and chocolatey…a little sticky in the teeth.    The icing, on the other hand, is HORRIBLE!  It tastes like plastic and has a waxy texture.  The white filling doesn’t have a lot of flavor.  I assume it’s sweetened shortening or something.  It adds a nice mushiness in the center.

Last night, I made ganache as I intended to make cupcakes tonight, but am not in the mood now.  I made 1/2 with cinnamon and ancho chili powder and the other half just plain.  It hardened up a bit too much, so I added some warm cream today in an attempt to increase the fat content and have it cool down softer for baking tomorrow.   The last 2 Hostess cupcakes ended up drenched in warm ganache: plain for me and spicy for Mr Shuck.  I must say that a Hostess cupcake topped with slightly warm ganache is AMAZING.   You can’t taste the plastic icing when it’s covered with Callebaut bittersweet chocolate ganache.

I wish I had taken the time to take a picture before cramming the yumminess down my gullet.