Chocolate-Espresso Twinkies and Hostess-Style Cupcakes

Ingredients

• Nonstick cooking spray
• Twinkie-style canoe pan for Twinkies or a muffin pan for Hostess-style cupcakes
• 1 1/4 cups cake flour
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 10 tablespoons unsalted butter
• softened
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup strong coffee
• 8 ounces cream cheese
• 3 tablespoons heavy cream
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups confectioners sugar, sifted", "1 tablespoon ground espresso beans", "1 1/2 cups finely chopped bittersweet chocolate", "1/2 cup heavy cream", "White chocolate, optional

Instructions

1. Place a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Grease a canoe pan or muffin pan with cooking spray.
3. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt 3 times.
4. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar on high speed for 15 seconds, until combined.
5. On low speed, add the eggs, one at a time, mixing until each is incorporated.
6. Beat on high speed until light and fluffy, about 6 minutes.
7. On the lowest speed, beat in 1/3 of the flour mixture.
8. Beat in the buttermilk and vanilla, then another 1/3 of the flour mixture.
9. Add the coffee, then the remaining flour.
10. Fill each mold halfway with batter and bake for 15 to 17 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cake comes out clean.
11. Cool in the pan for 30 minutes.
12. Loosen the cakes from the edges with a sharp knife.
13. Invert the pan and gently tap the bottom to release.
14. Cool the cakes completely -- Twinkies top-side down and cupcakes top-side up -- on a wire rack.