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Chocolate Cupcakes Recipe

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Chocolate Cupcakes Recipe

Cupcakes are all about having your own little cake that you do not have to share. Did you know that the name "cup cake" was first used, not to describe its size, but to how the cake's ingredients were measured? It seems that before the 1880s ingredients for baking cakes were 'weighed' so when recipes started to be written with 'cup' measurements, they were named 'cup' cakes to reflect this difference.

Fast forward to today and cupcakes are now individual cakes that are baked in either muffin pans or in cup-shaped molds. They are usually topped with a frosting and candy sprinkles are entirely optional.

Cupcakes may come in many flavors, but chocolate and vanilla are still the most popular. With that in mind, I give you my favorite chocolate cupcake recipe. This recipe produces a cupcake with a moist texture and nice chocolate flavor that comes from using Dutch-processed cocoa powder that has been dissolved in hot water to bring out its full flavor. Of course, no cupcake is complete without a frosting, and for these cupcakes I have used a rich and creamy chocolate fudge frosting.

The frosting recipe comes from the cookbook Chocolate Bar by Matt Lewis and Alison Nelson who run a chocolate boutique that they call a "candy store for grown-ups" in New York. It is the type of chocolate frosting my mother always used to cover cakes. Made with butter, confectioners (icing or powdered) sugar, vanilla extract and unsweetened chocolate, it is perfect for piping lovely swirls. It uses unsweetened chocolate which is also known as baking, plain or bitter chocolate. This is chocolate in its rawest form. Chocolate liquor that has been refined and contains 50-55% cocoa butter. Since no sugar has been added to the chocolate it has a strong, bitter taste that is used in cooking and baking but is never eaten out of hand. When used in this frosting it imparts a deep chocolate flavor.

 

Chocolate Cupcakes: Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly butter, or line 16 muffin cups with paper liners.

In a small bowl stir until smooth the boiling hot water and the cocoa powder. Let cool to room temperature.

In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.

Then in the bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating until smooth. Beat in the vanilla extract. Add the flour mixture and beat only until incorporated. Then add the cooled cocoa mixture and stir until smooth.

Fill each muffin cup two-thirds full with batter and bake for about 16-20 minutes or until risen, springy to the touch, and a toothpick inserted into a cupcake comes out clean. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool. Once the cupcakes have completely cooled, frost with icing. You can either spread the frosting on the cupcakes with a small spatula or if piping, use a large Wilton 1M open star tip to make lovely swirls.

Chocolate Frosting: Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl placed over a saucepan of simmering water. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.

In the bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the butter until smooth and creamy (about 1 minute). Add the sugar and beat until it is light and fluffy (about 2 minutes). Beat in the vanilla extract. Add the chocolate and beat on low speed until incorporated. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat until frosting is smooth and glossy (about 2 -3 minutes).

Makes about 16 cupcakes

Source:

Bell, Annie. 'Gorgeous Cakes'. Kyle Books. Distributed by National Book Network. Lanham, MD: 2005.

Lewis, Matt & Nelson, Alison. 'Chocolate Bar'. Stonesong Press. New York: 2004.

 

Chocolate Cupcakes:

1/2 cup (50 grams) Dutch-processed cocoa powder

1 cup (240 ml) boiling hot water

1 1/3 cups (175 grams) all purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup (200 grams) granulated white sugar

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Chocolate Fudge Frosting:

4 ounces (120 grams) unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped

2/3 cup (150 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 1/3 cups (160 grams) confectioners (powdered or icing) sugar, sifted

1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

 

   
     
 

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