Chocolate-Espresso Twinkies and Hostess-Style Cupcakes

• 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

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.

nonstick cooking spray, canoe pan, cake flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, salt, unsalted butter, sugar, eggs, buttermilk, vanilla, coffee, cream cheese, heavy cream, vanilla, sugar, ground espresso beans, bittersweet chocolate, heavy cream, white chocolate

Taken from cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/11373 (may not work)