Double chocolate cupcakes feature cocoa powder, dark chocolate, vanilla bean paste and a pinch of fine sea salt. I love this chocolate cupcake recipe. The cakes always come out perfectly domed, they’re incredibly moist with an excellent chocolate flavor.
Wrapped in paper liners they last days without sacrificing texture or taste.
Chocolate cake pairs well with so many flavors. Frosting is a matter of so many choices. Nut frostings like hazelnut and almond; fruit frostings like cherry or strawberry; spice frostings, extract frostings, and so on. The list is long and always fun to pick from.
These cupcakes are firm and perfect for filling, should you desire to pipe in a custard, a ganache or other cupcake filling.
Here I have prepared three frostings stabilized with a little cream because, as I write this, I cannot buy eggs to make a proper meringue style buttercream. A vanilla bean frosting, a semisweet chocolate frosting, and a raspberry frosting.
Like most baked goods we start with a preheated oven. Paper liners are used here for decoration, handling, and to keep the cupcakes moist.
Butter and dark chocolate are melted in a small saucepan. The mixture is stirred until well combined and smooth. The mix is taken off the heat to cool.
Unsweetened cocoa powder, all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, and fine sea salt are added to a mixing bowl and whisked together. In a second mixing bowl, eggs, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla extract are whisked to combine.
The cooled chocolate mixture is added to the wet ingredients and whisked to combine.
The dry ingredients are gradually added to the wet, alternating with buttermilk. The trick here is to stir or fold in the dry ingredients and buttermilk only to the point of incorporation, trying not to over mix.
The cupcake batter is divided among the paper lined muffin tin cups and the cupcakes are baked until they are set and a toothpick or sharp paring knife inserted in the center.
A nice cake on their own, these chocolate cupcakes are perfect for frosting and decorating.
Vanilla Bean Frosting –
- 1/2 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter, softened
- 2 tablespoons cream cheese, softened
- 1-1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla beans scraped from fresh vanilla bean
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
Beat butter and cream cheese on medium for several minutes until creamy. With motor running, add powdered sugar gradually, about 1/4 cup at a time. Add vanilla beans and heavy cream. Beat until well incorporated. Scrape down bowl, if necessary.
*Chocolate Frosting – add 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder with powdered sugar.
*Raspberry Frosting – add 1/4 cup freeze dried raspberry powder with powdered sugar.
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Chocolate Cupcakes
Equipment
- 1 (12 cup) regular muffin tin
Ingredients
- 113 grams unsalted butter (1/2 cup OR 1 stick)
- 56 grams semisweet chocolate (2 ounces)
- 42 grams unsweetened cocoa powder (1/2 cup)
- 95 grams all-purpose flour (3/4 cup)
- 3 grams baking soda (1/2 teaspoon)
- 4 grams baking powder (3/4 teaspoon)
- 2 grams fine sea salt (1/4 teaspoon)
- 100 grams egg (2 large), at room temperature
- 100 grams granulated sugar (1/2 cup)
- 50 grams light brown sugar (1/4 cup packed)
- 5 grams vanilla bean paste (1 teaspoon)
- 120 grams buttermilk (1/2 cup)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners.
- Add the unsalted butter and semisweet chocolate to a small saucepan. Heat over low heat, stirring frequently until smooth and well combined. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Add unsweetened cocoa powder, all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, and fine sea salt to medium mixing bowl. Set aside.
- Add eggs, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla bean paste to large mixing bowl. Whisk until well combined and smooth.
- Add the chocolate mixture to the sugar mixture and whisk until smooth.
- Fold in 1/2 the flour mixture with spatula. Stir in 1/2 the buttermilk. Repeat with remaining flour mixture and buttermilk. Do not over mix.
- Divide batter evenly between cupcake liners.
- Bake cupcakes 18 minutes in preheated oven, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from oven. Place on wire rack and cool completely.
