Chocolate Cupcakes

I love cupcakes! They are the perfect little cake all to yourself. Plus I love chocolate!!!! So here is the perfect combination of two of my favorite things.

I think the trick to these is that you use melted chocolate not cocoa powder. My son who will not eat any sort of cake ate 3 in one sitting without frosting!

I've included my vanilla buttercream recipe, which is so wonderful, it really reminds me of ice cream. The recipe makes about 36 - 40 cupcakes.

Ingredients:

2 3/4 cups cake flour (this is really important because cake flour is lighter than all-purpose flour. It's easily found in most grocery stores, I use the Swann Cake flour)

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

2 1/2 cups sugar

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

6 oz unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled to room temperature (it's really important you let if cool before you putting in the mix)

4 extra-large eggs

1 T (tablespoon) plus 1 tsp (teaspoon) pure vanilla extract

1 cup sour cream

1 cup water

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

2. Line 36 standard muffin cups with cupcake liners.

3. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Quick tip if you toss it all in the bowl and use a hand whisk you don't need to worry about sieving the flour, you break up the lumps with the whisk.

4. Using your electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together sugar and butter until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.

5. Add the chocolate, again let the chocolate cool to room temperature, and beat on medium speed until well combined, about 2 minutes.

6. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing well after each addition.

7. Add the sour cream and vanilla and mix until combined.

8. Turn the mixer to low speed, add the flour mixture in 3 parts, alternating with 1 cup of water and beginning and ending with flour, beating until just combined.

9. Fill the muffin cups 3/4 full with batter.

10. Transfer to the oven and bake for 10 minutes. Rotate the muffin pan and bake for a further 10 minutes, make sure that a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

11. Allow to cool before frosting.

Vanilla Buttercream

This recipe makes enough for about 30 cupcakes

Ingredients

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

6 - 8 cups confectioners' sugar

1/2 cup milk

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Using an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter until smooth and creamy about 3 minutes.

2. Turn the mixer to low speed and add 6 cups of sugar, milk and vanilla; mix until light and fluffy.

3. Continue to add the remaining sugar until you reach the desired consistency.