Hostess Cupcakes

Make the cupcakes:

Position a rack in the center and preheatoven to 325F. Lightlybutter twenty-four 1-3/4" x 3/4" (1-oz)

muffin of biscuit cups.

Into a medium bowl -- sift together theflour, cocoa, baking soda,and salt. Mix in the sugar. Make a wellin the center. Whisk in thewater -- oil, vinegar, andvanilla. Blend until smooth. (The batterwill be very thin.)

Spoon the batter into the prepared cups.

Bake until a cake testerinserted into the center of one of thecupcakes comes out cleanabout 12 to 14 minutes. Cool the cupcakesin the pans on a wire rackfor 5 minutes. Remove the cupcakes fromthe pans and finish coolingon the rack.

Make the filling:

In a heavy medium saucepan over medium-high -- bringthe creamheatto a boil. Add the white chocolate andremove from heat. let themixture stand briefly -- stir until smooth.

Transfer to a metal bowland refrigerate until chilled thoroughly -- stirringoccasionally. (Tospeed the process -- set the metal bowlover a larger bowl of icewater -- stir the chocolatemixture until cool.) With an electricmixer -- beat the whitechocolate mixture just until fluffy,about 1minute.

Transfer the filling to a pastry bagfitted with a 3/8-inch plaintip. Insert the pastry tip 1/4-inch intothe bottom of each cupcakeand squeeze a little filling into eachone.

Make the glaze:

Place the chocolate in a small bowl.

Whisk in the boiling water andblend until smooth. One at a time -- dip the top ofeachcupcake intothe warm glaze. Turn the glazed cupcakesright side up and set themon a wire rack on top of a baking sheet.

Refrigerate the cupcakes for5 minutes to set the glaze.

Make the icing:

In a medium bowl -- whisk the egg whiteuntil frothy. Stir in thecream of tartar. Gradually mix in enoughof the confectioner's sugarto make a fairly stiff and smooth icing.

Fill a small paper cone withthe icing and cut a 1/16-inch opening atthe tip. Remove the cupcakesfrom the refrigerator. Pipe a design (a -- spiral,etc.) onsquigglethe top of each cupcake. Let the designharden and then cover andrefrigerate the cupcakes. Serve at roomtemperature.

bottle about the size of a Twink