CHOCOLATE MERINGUE COOKIE CUPCAKES

....And the beat goes on. Another day of culinary school means more creative ways to utilize the products we make, daily.  Case in point: chocolate cupcakes topped with Swiss meringue buttercream and vanilla meringue cookies. Do we see a theme here? Yes, yesterday's lesson was all about meringue. Swiss meringue buttercream, Italian meringue, original meringue cookies, etc etc. If it involved whipping egg whites, we covered it.  I came home with a boatload of freshly baked (by me) meringue cookies and 2 tubs full of Swiss meringue buttercream. So, I baked a batch of Martha's one bowl chocolate cupcakes (my favorite) and topped them with the Swiss meringue buttercream that I seemed to have had an endless amount of.  I then took the simple, yet delicious meringue cookies and topped each cupcake followed by a dusting of cocoa powder. My neighbors are sure enjoying the perks of culinary school; a.k.a. leftovers on a daily basis.

Martha Stewart's One Bowl Chocolate Cupcakes

Yields 18-24

INGREDIENTS
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
3/4 cup warm water
3/4 cup buttermilk
3 tablespoons safflower oil
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

PREPARATION

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners.

2. Sift cocoa powder, flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into a large bowl. Add eggs, warm water, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla, and mix until smooth.

3. Divide batter among muffin cups, filling each 2/3 full. Bake until tops spring back when touched, about 20 minutes. Transfer cupcakes to wire racks, and let cool. Cupcakes will keep, covered, for up to 3 days.