Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Frosting
Chocolate Frosting
Ingredients
- 3 1/4 cups powdered sugar
- 3/4 cup good quality cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup (4 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 to 4 tablespoons half and half
- 1 teaspoon good quality vanilla extract
Directions
- Sift the powdered sugar and cocoa together into a large bowl. In another bowl, or the bowl of a stand mixture fitted with the paddle attachment, combine 1 cup of the sugar mixture with the butter and 1 tablespoon of the half and half. Beat until smooth, then gradually add the rest of the sugar mixture and enough of the half and half to form a fluffy frosting. Add the vanilla and beat until well incorporated.
Ultimate Chocolate Cupcakes
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup (2 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted and cooled
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 2 large egg yolks, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon vegetable or canola oil
- 1/3 cup full fat sour cream
- 2 teaspoons good quality vanilla extract
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup good quality cocoa powder
- 1 tablespoon espresso powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 cup room temperature water
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Put 8 cupcake liners in a cupcake pan.
- In a medium bowl with electric beaters or a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
- Add the cooled melted chocolate chips and mix until just combined. Add the eggs and egg yolks one at a time, mixing until just combined. Add the oil, sour cream, and vanilla and continue mixing until fully incorporated.
- Sift together flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder, salt, and baking soda into a separate medium bowl. Whisk together after sifting to make sure it is well combined. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in 3 additions, mixing until just combined after each addition. Working at low speed, gradually add the water and continue mixing until the batter is smooth, about 1 minute. Fill the cupcake liners 2/3 full with batter.
- Bake the cupcakes until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean, about 18 to 20 minutes. Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for 5 minutes and then turn them out to cool completely on a rack. Frost with the chocolate frosting, or your favorite frosting.
