Chocolate Cupcakes
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
Here is your new favorite, ultra luscious, chocolate cupcake recipe! The batter is made with buttermilk, special dark cocoa, cake flour, eggs and vanilla that makes for a super chocolatey, moist and delicious cake and the icing should be illegal! The rich buttercream includes an egg yolk, semisweet chocolate and coffee for a superlative taste and creamy texture. I know you'll love this recipe, you can make a cake or any size cupcake, see my notes for baking times.
Author: Ruth Guerri
Recipe type: Dessert, cakes and cupcakes
Serves: 10 large or 24 regular cupcakes
Ingredients
Cake
- 2½ cups of cake flour
- 2 cups of sugar
- 1 cup of special dark cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- 1 Tbs of baking soda
- ¾ cup of boiling water
- 1 cup of buttermilk
- 1 cup of vegetable oil
- 2 eggs, room temperature
- 2 teaspoon of vanilla extract
Icing
- 6 ounces of high-quality semisweet chocolate
- 2 sticks of unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 large egg yolk, room temperature
- 2 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups of powdered sugar, sifted
- 2 tsp of instant coffee dissolved in 2 tsp of hot water
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, salt, and baking soda until well-combined.
- Using an electric mixer, combine the buttermilk, oil, egg and vanilla, beat until well mixed.
- Slowly add in the dry ingredients and mix until very smooth. Then pour in the boiling water and mix well.
- Fill 10 large muffin cups ⅔ full and bake for 30 - 32 minutes. Let cool
- While the cupcakes are baking, make the icing. Chop the chocolate and place it in a heat-proof bowl over a pan of simmering water. Stir until just melted and set aside to cool.
- Using an electric mixer, beat the butter on medium-high speed until pale yellow and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg yolk and vanilla and beat for 3 more minutes. Turn the mixer to low, gradually add the powdered sugar, then beat at medium speed, scraping down the bowl as necessary, until smooth and creamy. Dissolve the coffee powder in 2 teaspoons of the hot tap water. On low speed, add the chocolate and coffee to the butter mixture and mix until blended, don't overmix.
Now, just ice the cupcakes with the either a butter knife or you could get fancy and pipe it on with a piping bag and rose tip. You can also garnish or decorate with sprinkles or fruit. 
Notes
This recipe can also be used to make chocolate cake and of course regular-sized cupcakes. I used a large muffin pan and large paper liners and made 10 cupcakes. Everything is the same except for cooking time. If you're making a cake, fill and bake two, 9½", round cake pans for 25 - 30 minutes, and bake 20 - 24 regular cupcakes for 15 - 20 minutes, but always check with a toothpick, inserted into the middle, it should come out clean.
