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1
Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line a cupcake pan with paper wrappers.
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2
Using a standard-size ice cream scoop or a 1/4 cup measure, scoop the Devils Food Cake batter into the prepared pan.
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3
The batter should come one-third to one-half the way up the sides of the pans.
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4
Bake for 20 to 22 minutes, rotating the pan once halfway through, until the centers of the cupcakes spring back to the touch.
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5
Remove the cupcakes from the oven, let them cool slightly in the pan, then finish cooling them right side up on a wire rack until they reach room temperature.
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6
Repeat this process to bake the remaining batter, as necessary.
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7
While the cupcakes are baking and cooling, prepare the Chocolate Icing, if you have not already done so.
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8
Set it aside.
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9
Once all the cupcakes have cooled to room temperature, use a paring knife to gently carve out a 1/2-inch-diameter column that reaches about halfway down through the middle of each cupcake.
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10
(You can also carve this opening with a medium round piping tip by pressing the tip into the top of the cupcake about halfway down and then twisting it 360 degrees before pulling the tip out.)
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11
Fill a pastry bag fitted with a medium round tip with Marshmallow Fluff.
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12
Inserting the tip of the bag into the carved center of each cupcake, pipe the filling into the cake until it just begins to overflow the cavity (see Filling a Pastry Bag and Piping, page 11).
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13
Fit another pastry bag with a large star tip and fill it with Chocolate Icing.
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14
Pipe rosettes of icing on each cupcake (see Filling a Pastry Bag and Piping, page 11).
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15
Repeat until all the cupcakes have been iced.
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16
Sprinkle the chopped almonds on top of the cupcakes and serve.
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17
Once iced, the cupcakes can be kept covered or in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
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18
Bring them to room temperature before serving.
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19
To make Rocky Road Cake, ice chocolate cake layers with Marshmallow Icing up to the crumb coat stage (see Icing a Cake, page 14).
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20
Once the crumb coat has set, finish the cake with 1/2 recipe Chocolate Icing.
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21
Sprinkle almonds across the entire top of the cake or, if youre planning on inscribing it, just around the perimeter.
