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Dark Chocolate & Bourbon Vanilla Steampunk Cupcakes

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An Optimum ThermoCook recipe.

Dark Chocolate & Bourbon Vanilla Steampunk Cupcakes

It’s our wedding anniversary this coming weekend.

Two years ago in gale-force winds my husband and I got married. It was a small ceremony with close family and friends with an overnight stay in a hotel and a lovely meal afterwards. Nothing too extravagant.

It was a steampunk wedding though. (You can see some photographs here and here!)

To celebrate our anniversary my husband has booked us a night into a local hotel – a rare child free night! I can’t wait!

In the meantime, I thought I’d make something a little special to share with the kids beforehand, something edible. Something steampunk themed.

Dark Chocolate & Bourbon Vanilla Steampunk Cupcakes

I pondered ideas, and while pacing around the coffee table in the living room trying to meet my daily 20,000 step FitBit goal, the idea of making dark chocolate steampunk cogs and gears to decorate the top of a cupcake sprang to mind.

Some time ago I was sent a nifty little Lekue Decomat to play with – a silicone pot with a nozzle and a clear silicone mat. You place your templates under the clear mat and draw over the top with melted chocolate. Searching google I found some designs I liked and I printed them off. It was rather therapeutic drawing out the designs, and the chocolate solidified fairly quickly after setting it outdoors in the January weather to chill.

Chocolate Steampunk Cogs and Gears

A rather effective technique, I think! I used these little dark chocolate decorations to decorate the top of a chocolate and vanilla swirl cupcake base topped with a bourbon vanilla buttercream.

I used Nielsen-Massey Madagascan vanilla bean paste for the cake and the frosting as I love the little flecks of vanilla seed in it, and using bourbon vanilla seems so appropriately exotic and steampunk.

Dark Chocolate & Bourbon Vanilla Steampunk Cupcakes

I’ve also recently decided to become a cake stand collector. This happened while I was out Christmas shopping for my family and I ended up buying two brand new cake stands for myself, raising my tally to four.

A fifth was added shortly afterwards – this fantastic three tiered steampunk cake stand from a company called Bags of Love. They print your own designs on a wide variety of merchandise, from mugs to blankets to cake stands and everything in between. I found a few images from the very talented Nikolayenko Yekaterina on Shutterstock to personalize my cake stand and it turned out rather well, I think!

Dark Chocolate & Bourbon Vanilla Steampunk Cupcakes

Because I’m rubbish at tempering chocolate (it’s something I have yet to master) I have to store these cupcakes in the fridge or the decorations will droop, but my children and my husband (who very kindly obliged and put on his wedding outfit to pose for a few photographs with said cake – doesn’t he scrub up well! He got to eat the cake afterwards, fair payment, no?) absolutely loved them. I’m on a fitness training mission (more about that later!) so I didn’t get to taste the cakes, but I have it on very good authority that they’re really rather awesome.

In a New Year decluttering phase I threw out my knackered and ancient food processor. I only ever used it for creaming butter and sugar together and it was taking up valuable space in my small kitchen. Between my Froothie Optimum 9400 high speed blender and my brand new Optimum ThermoCook I’m covered.

This recipe was made in my Optimum ThermoCook, a rather nifty all-in-one multi-function cooking appliance. I’m still learning about all the things you can do in this gadget but it really does absolutely everything. You can read my review here. It whips up cake batter in no time, you can melt chocolate in the steamer and icing only takes a matter of seconds to make!

Dark Chocolate & Bourbon Vanilla Steampunk Cupcakes

Dark Chocolate & Bourbon Vanilla Steampunk Cupcakes

A chocolate and vanilla swirl cupcake base topped with creamy vanilla frosting and dark chocolate steampunk cogs and gears.
5 from 1 vote
Print Rate
Prep Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
Servings: 12 cupcakes
Author: Elizabeth

Ingredients

for the chocolate vanilla swirl cupcakes

for the bourbon vanilla buttercream

for the dark chocolate steampunk cogs and gears

Affiliate Links

This recipe card may contain affiliate ingredient and equipment links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 180 C/ 160 C fan and line a 12 hole cupcake tin with large cases.
  • Weigh out the butter and caster sugar in the Thermocook bowl, put the lid on securely and PULSE in 7 second goes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed, until the mixture is light and fluffy.
  • Add the remaining ingredients except for the cocoa powder and extra plain flour and select CHOP for 20 second. Scrape down the sides and CHOP again for a further 5 seconds, if required.
  • Measure out half the batter (approximately 330 grams) into a medium sized bowl.
  • Add the cocoa powder to the Thermocook bowl and CHOP for 5 seconds.
  • Add the vanilla and remaining 25 grams of plain flour to the mixture you've poured out into a separate bowl and whisk until combined thoroughly.
  • Alternately spoon the mixture into the cupcake cases until they are 2/3 full. Using a wooden skewer, draw lines through the batter until it forms swirls.
  • Bake for 25 minutes until golden and springy to touch. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
  • Meanwhile, clean out the bowl of the Thermocook and fill with a few inches of cold water. Select BOIL and switch off when the water has boiled.
  • Break your chocolate into a small heat proof bowl and cover tightly in foil. You don't want any water to get into the bowl.
  • Place the bowl into the larger steamer and select STEAM. The automatic setting is for 20 minutes, but you can pause it every now and again, leaving the lid off, so that the chocolate melts.
  • Search for steampunk gear and cog images on Google and print off designs that you like. Place the print -out underneath the clear silicone mould of your Lekue Decomat (or use greaseproof paper).
  • Pour the melted, slightly cooled, dark chocolate into the Decomat pen fitted with the small nozzle and trace your cogs and gears. Leave to harden in a cool place (I put mine outside!).
  • To prepare the Madagascan bourbon vanilla buttercream frosting, place all the ingredients in the bowl of the cooled Thermocook and select CHOP for 20 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and CHOP for a further 5 seconds.
  • Frost the cupcakes using a large star shape nozzle and decorate with the chocolate cogs and gears. Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Notes

Calories per cupcake - 533

Environmental Information

Tried this recipe?Mention @TangoRaindrop or tag #elizabethskitchendiary - we'd love to see what you've been making!

Click here to view the detailed nutritional information for this recipe, as analyzed by My Fitness Pal.

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LINKING UP WITH A FEW FOOD BLOGGING CHALLENGES
Tasty Tuesdays by Honest Mum
Tea Time Treats by The Hedgecombers and Lavender & Lovage
Recipe of the Week by A Mummy Too
The #YumTum Linky from The Mummy Toolbox
#CookBlogShare by Sneaky Veg
Bake of the Week by Casa Costello

Monkey and Mouse

Dark Chocolate and Bourbon Vanilla Steampunk Cupcakes

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Elizabeth’s Kitchen Diary is a Froothie Ambassador and she uses the Froothie Optimum 9400 blender, the Froothie Optimum 600 slow juicer and the Optimum ThermoCook to make many of her recipes. These are affiliate links, meaning if you buy a blender or juicer through them we will earn a small commission. This is not a paid post and all thoughts and opinions are our own.

This post also contains Amazon affiliate links highlighted in orange. Any purchase made through these links will earn us a small commission and you will be helping to support our family.

With thanks to Lekue for the Decomat and Bags of Love for the cake stand.

Comments

  2. Janice says

    Oh my goodness, Elizabeth. I made these cupcakes for my husbands birthday and they are incredible. Can’t believe how much they rose with so little raising agent. Also I’m never making buttercream any other way, the Thermocook is awesome for making buttercream.

    Reply

  4. Tracey S Anderson says

    These look so yummy and very creative 🙂 Thank you for sharing with us all 🙂 X x

    Reply

  6. Andrew Petrie says

    These must be the most visually appealing cakes I have ever seen and I do like the bizarre name – it invites curiosity !

    Reply

  7. Andrew Petrie says

    This is one of those where I think to myself “Well i really couldn’t care less how many calories there are”.

    Reply

  9. Leah Miller says

    Wow, these cakes look incredible! I loev the idea of using the stencils to create the shapes in chocolate, and the whole effect looks great, yummy! xx

    Reply

  11. don erwood says

    These look so intricate and fantastic. I am not sure I would have a steady enough hand for this but they do make them look stunning.

    Reply

  17. Jenny says

    These look amazing! I want one now! How cool to have had a steam punk wedding, will have to check out your posts for pictures. Great idea of how to make the cogs, like the chocolate squeezey thing, so much easier to use.
    Thanks so much for linking up to #HowtoSunday 🙂 x

    Reply

  20. Gloria @ Homemade & Yummy says

    These cupcakes sound totally divine. I LOVE cooking/baking with bourbon….my husband LOVES bourbon. They LOOK awesome too. I will have to make these for him…would be perfect for Valentine’s Day….have pinned and scheduled to share on FB

    Reply

  21. Tracy | Baking Mischief says

    Oh my gosh, I’m dying! Those cupcakes are so cute!! The bourbon vanilla bean paste in the cupcakes sounds amazing. I clicked through to see your steampunk wedding photos and A++. That group picture is just fantastic.

    Reply

  24. Dooseet says

    what a great idea! and it cost you so much work! I love themed parties and when you add themed food into if – splendid! this year we had a horror New year’s Eve and I made finger sandwiches, that looked like dead men fingers actually. These kind of food gives so much fun 🙂

    Reply

  26. OneDizzyBee says

    These are perfectly beautiful. If they taste half as good as they look, this recipe could make you rich. I could seriously see these creations in a shop window, and if I did, I would have to go into the shop to have a look around. You’re incredibly talented and your photography is top notch in my book too.

    Reply

  28. Robyn says

    Wow, super impressed on two levels. One: you made the chocolate decorations yourself and they look amazing. Two: you were strong enough to avoid a taste test. If I ever wanted to start eating better, my whole family would have to go without baked goods! These look delicious.

    Reply

  29. Kate ItsABugsLife29 says

    I love the theme! And they look spectacular. How you didn’t eat them I can’t understand! #HowToSundays

    Reply

  30. Kelly Robinson says

    These look amazing. So clever with the decoration! Hope your husband likes how much effort you put in 🙂 #howtosundays

    Reply

  34. tracey bowden says

    Happy anniversary I hope you have a lovely child free night away!

    These cupcakes look absolutely divine and I love the stencil what a great idea and the results are fab! I an awful at baking or anything like this but I really wish I wasn’t!

    Reply

  35. Deanna says

    These look amazing! I love the nozzle and stencil idea for chocolate, I’ve never seen this before. They look DELICIOUS, I really love the theme too! So unique <3

    Reply

  44. Camilla says

    Loving these cupcakes Elizabeth! I had never heard of SteamPunk before your wedding but it looks like a lot of fun;-)

    Reply

  50. Mandy says

    Oh happy anniversary! Hope you had a lovely evening. I love your cupcakes. The chocolate decorations are perfect. My friend plays in a steampunk band and I’m sure that her and her bandmates would love to have some of these cakes. Thanks for linking up with #CookBlogShare

    Reply

  54. Rachael says

    since i commented on your instagram, i had to give this a little comment too!
    i absolutely LOVE these, they are so cool and sound declious!!

    Reply

  55. Lisa says

    There are so gorgeous! I’m pinning them to my beautiful food board and I would love to try your technique some time!

    Reply

  59. Janette@CulinaryGinger says

    Happy Anniversary! I love the Lekue Decomat, I think one of those is in my future. Fantastic cupcakes and I’m sad I don’t have one right now in my hand.

    Reply

  60. Debra @ Bowl Me Over says

    Oh my gosh these look amazing! Your pictures are great and how fun your wedding looked!! I took a swing over to that page too – congratulations to you!!!

    Reply

  61. Charlotte says

    These are soo stunning and look tasty too! I love that you had a themed wedding it means you can do things like this on anniversaries as a reminder! not sure I would share these with the kids though :p I would probably keep them for myself :p Thanks so much for linking up to #YUMTUM I would love to see you next week ! Thanks for sharing your fab recipe!

    Reply

  64. Choclette says

    You really are a marvel Elizabeth as are your steampunk cupcakes. My how the time flies. I can’t believe it was two years ago you got married. It was you that introduced me to the concept of steampunk. Hope you have a lovely weekend and enjoy your hotel stay.

    A cake stand collection sounds like an eminently suitable thing for a food blogger to collect and I love your steampunk one.

    Reply

    • Elizabeth says

      I can hardly believe it’s been two years either! How time flies! We did have a fantastic night away, thanks, and yes, I’m loving my new cake stand too!

      Reply

  66. Chris @thinlyspread says

    Oh. My. Word. I am in LURVE! Utterly gorgeous cakes – I have to make those cogs immediately! Wonderful. I’ve gone all effusive!

    Reply

  67. Kitty Wood says

    oh those cakes are absolutely gorgeous! What a cute way to sneak steam punk into cupcakes. I’m planning my wedding at the moment and looking for cake inspiration so this was fab.

    Reply

  68. Janice says

    What a clever little gadget! You certainly made some beautiful cogs and wheels for your steampunk cupcakes, they look delicious. Congratulations on the wedding anniversary, I remember seeing the wedding pics and still marvel at the paper bouquet, you should post that again!

    Reply

    • Elizabeth says

      It certainly is! I’ve got loads of ideas now that I’ve started using it properly. Watch this space! Perhaps I’ll redo my bouquet tutorial – I’ve learned so much since then…

      Reply

  70. christine says

    Happy anniversary! Our 10th anniversary is tomorrow (the 14th)! These gorgeous cupcakes look like a great way to celebrate. Enjoy that kid free weekend – I’m envious!

    Reply

  71. The Nice Nest says

    They look great and I love how you made the chocolate cogs to go on top. Nice styling of your photographs too.

    Reply

  75. Emma @ Supper in the Suburbs says

    Firstly congrats on the wedding anniversary! Secondly how cool are these cakes!!! And that cake stand! I love everything about them 🙂 I’ve always been fascinated by steam punk, plus these cakes sound as delicious as they look. Bravo for adding the bourbon vanilla to the icing!

    Reply

  81. Debi @ Life Currents says

    These are so beautiful! And they sound delicious. I love the story and that your husband dressed up for this! This is awesome!

    Reply

    • Elizabeth says

      Thanks Kacie – I’m not the most patient person in the world (which is why there are only three cogs on each cupcake – I started to lose the will to live making them!)

      Reply

  97. Codie says

    These sound incredible! Not sure my hands are steady enough to do the cogs but I am tempted to give it a go. Love the style of steampunk weddings. Happy Anniversary!

    Reply

  101. Johanna GGG says

    Happy wedding anniversary and congratulations on your brilliant cupcakes. I am not great at chocolate but that kit looks really useful and your creativity is admirable. I was admiring your cake stand and wishing for more in my life when I read you are now a collector – I wish I had room to be – would you consider making some – I have seen ones on craft blogs where little glasses and vases are hot glued to lovely plates – again I wish I had room for such things. Enjoy your anniversary child free time

    Reply

    • Elizabeth says

      Thank you Johanna! 🙂 I don’t have much room to be collecting cake stands either – might have to clear out some other stuff….! Love the glasses/vases/plates idea!

      Reply

  102. Helen @ Family-Friends-Food.com says

    Those are just fab! Love your steampunk wedding. (I still regret being talked out of having a Doctor Who theme for ours…)

    Reply

  103. Tanya Brannan says

    Fabulous post! I adore those cogs, so very clever and the silicone may sounds brilliant! You husband looks cool too!

    Secretplussizegoddess

    Reply

  104. Lucy Parissi says

    These look so good Elisabeth! I love the chocolate decorations – brilliant idea. Enjoy your anniversary and child-free night – it sounds heavenly. Your husband is a really good sport to appear on the blog – I think I would have to pay mine to do that.

    Reply

  107. Sarah says

    Happy wedding anniversary for the weekend! Hope you have a good one. dark choc and bourbon vanilla cupcakes sound delish!

    Reply

  109. kellie@foodtoglow says

    Just gorgeous, Elizabeth. Stunning actually. I had to smile about your chocolate cooling remarks. I wouldn’t have even had to set them outside – I don’t treat myself to heat during the day! Enjoy your anniversary overnighter. I can imagine how precious that time will be 😉 And yes, your hubs scrubs up very well

    Reply

  110. Phoebe @ Lou Messugo says

    Those cakes are so beautiful (and I bet delicious too). You’re so clever with the decorations, I know mine wouldn’t look anything like that! I must admit I didn’t know what steam punk was but I clicked through to your wedding post to find out! #tastytuesdays

    Reply

  112. Katie Bryson says

    What a fab post and loving the steam punk vibe!!! Your husband looks magnificent in his wedding gear! Good luck wth the health kick too. I’m winning on the exercise and no alcohol front, I’m eating healthier food but just too much of it

    Reply

  116. The London Mum says

    You must have some serious will power to not try those cupcakes! They look delicious, and I love the idea that you recreated a memory from your wedding for your anniversary 🙂 x

    Reply

  118. Esmeralda says

    That is very clever!! Also love your pictures, very creative. Those cupcakes look delicious, thank you for sharing the recipe and others too, I have a party at the WE – might become handy 😉

    Reply

  119. Rhian Westbury says

    What beautiful cakes and such a nice way to involve the kids. I don’t think I’d have a steady enough hand to draw over those templates though. Have a great child free night away 🙂 x

    Reply

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