In my family, game day means lots of spicy and savory finger foods like homemade hot wings and plenty of chips and dips. But there still has to be a fun dessert that everyone will want to tear into. For the super bowl, I'll be making my entry into the Pepsico Game Day Grub Match, these chocolate-beet smoothie cupcakes with a creamy coffee-flavored mascarpone frosting. They are loaded with Pepsico products; a few of which might surprise you.
First and foremost is the Bare Naked Bright Beets 100 percent juice smoothie, a ginger-kissed sweet and hot pink juice blend that makes these cupcakes super moist and flavorful. It also contains coconut water, lemon and other juices. It has a refreshing taste and vibrant color. It also adds a great boost of vitamin A to these cupcakes.
There is no salt added to these cupcakes. Instead I used ground up Ruffles original potato chips. The chips soften and melt completely into the batter. It is always fun to ask guests to guess the secret ingredient like these chips. They will also be front and center in their normal chip form next to all the dips and spreads we'll have out to snack on.
The rich mascarpone frosting for these cupcakes is made perfect by the addition of two different Starbucks products: their Doubleshot Espresso + Cream that comes in cute little cans in your beverage isle at your local store and their VIA Ready Brew Italian Roast. They are individual packets of instant Starbucks coffee and they are not just great to drink, but they also are fun to cook with.
Hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we will February 7! #gamedaygrubmatchentry
Ruffling the Referee Cupcakes with Doubleshot Delay of Game
Frosting
Cupcakes:
2 ounces (by weight) Ruffles original potato chips
8 ounces Naked Bright Beets 100 percent juice smoothie
1 cup plus 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon Vietnamese Cinnamon
2 large eggs
2/3 cup vegetable oil
8 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted and slightly
cooled
3/4 teaspoon plus 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup plus 1 Tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon all purpose flour
Frosting:
1 Tablespoon canned Starbucks Doubleshot Espresso + Cream
1 Tablespoon Starbucks VIA Ready Brew Italian Roast
1/2 cup chilled mascarpone cheese
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1 1/2 cups well chilled heavy whipping cream
Garnish:
2 ounces mini semi sweet chocolate morsels
21 small pieces Ruffles original potato chips
For the cupcakes, preheat oven to 325 degrees with a rack in
the center of the oven. Line 21 standard muffin tin cups with paper liners; set
aside.
Place potato chips in the bowl of a food processor fitted
with a metal blade. Pulse until finely chopped. Add the Bright Beets smoothie,
pulse once or twice and leave to stand for 5 minutes.
To the food processor add the sugar, cinnamon, eggs, oil and
cocoa powder. Process for 15 seconds or until smooth and blended. Add the
cooled chocolate and process until smooth. Add the baking soda and flour and
process just until blended.
Fill lined muffin tin cups with batter, filling each about
2/3 full. Bake on center rack for 19 to 20 minutes or until a wooden pick
inserted into center of cakes comes out clean. Cool completely in pan. Remove
cakes with liners to a platter or serving plate.
For the frosting, heat doubleshot espresso in a small
microwaveable bowl on full power for 6 seconds or until warm. Add the Ready Brew (instant coffee) and stir to dissolve. Cool slightly.
In a large bowl beat together the coffee mixture, mascarpone, vanilla and powdered sugar with an electric mixer on low speed until smooth and
well blended. Add the cream and beat on medium low speed for 2 1/2 minutes or
until stiff peaks form. (Do not overbeat). Spread or pipe frosting onto tops of
cupcakes. Refrigerate while preparing garnish.
For the garnish, place semi sweet chocolate chips in the top of a double
boiler over simmering water on medium-low heat. Stir until melted.
To garnish, dip potato chip pieces in melted chocolate to
coat a small portion of each chip. Place chips on a sheet of no-stick foil. Refrigerate
for 10 to 20 minutes until chocolate is set. Push a chocolate coated potato chip
piece into the frosting on each cupcake.
Store in refrigerator. Makes 21 game day cupcakes
