Name: Decadent Chocolate Cupcakes with Velvety Smooth Italian Buttercream
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 12 Cupcakes
Ingredients: 225 grams Sugar (approx 1.5 Cups); 200 grams Cake Flour (approx 1 Cup); 3/4 teaspoon Baking Soda; 1/4 teaspoon Kosher Salt; 80 grams Butter (approx 6 tablespoons); 80 grams Vegetable Oil (approx 1/3 Cup); 65 grams Cocoa Powder (approx 2/3 Cup); 1 large Egg; 175 grams Buttermilk (approx 3/4 Cup); 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

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Decadent and moist, these Chocolate Cupcakes are velvety smooth and so very delicious!

I made these for my daughter’s birthday and the kids decorated their cupcakes with M&M’s and sprinkles. They had a ball! I decorated mine with crystallized ginger. My husband had his plain. You can do so much with these cupcakes that are a blank canvas for your creations.

Chocolate Cupcakes

These cupcakes have an intense, strong, sweet chocolate flavor. It has a tight crumb and moist, dark brown appearance, with an even rise and a domed center. Buy the best cocoa powder for making these cupcakes like
Ghirardelli Chocolate Unsweetened Cocoa Pouch, 8 Ounce or Valrhona Pure Cocoa Powder, 8.8 oz. The butter and eggs should be at room temperature for best results.

The cupcakes can be decorated with anything you choose. You can use cocoa nobs, desiccated coconut (I would toast them first), chopped nuts, sprinkles, even fresh raspberries. Dip the cupcakes in ganache (any flavor, though I love coffee flavored chocolate ganache) or jams like my Strawberry Jam, to add another dimension to these delectable beauties.

I piped an equally decadent Italian Buttercream on these for the party. Come on- its a party! Forget those calories!

Decadent Chocolate Cupcakes with Velvety Smooth Italian Buttercream

Prep Time

20 mins

Cook Time

15 mins

Resting Time

2 hrs

Total Time

35 mins

Decadent, moist chocolate cupcakes with exquisite, smooth, delicious Italian buttercream.

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American, French

Keyword: #birthday, #buttercream, #cake, #chocolate, #cupcakes, #richdesserts

Servings: 12 Cupcakes

Calories: 266 kcal

Ingredients

225 grams Sugar approx 1.5 Cups
200 grams Cake Flour approx 1 Cup
3/4 teaspoon Baking Soda
1/4 teaspoon Kosher Salt
80 grams Butter approx 6 tablespoons
80 grams Vegetable Oil approx 1/3 Cup
65 grams Cocoa Powder approx 2/3 Cup
1 large Egg
175 grams Buttermilk approx 3/4 Cup
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

Instructions

For the Chocolate Cupcakes

Preheat the oven to 350°F
Line a 12 cup muffin pan with cupcake liners.
Sift together sugar, flour, baking soda and salt
Combine cocoa powder, vegetable oil and 3/4Cup (175g) water in a medium saucepan. Cook on medium-low heat till the butter has melted, whisking constantly. Take care not to get it too hot or it will cook the eggs when added to the batter.
Pour the cocoa-butter mixture over the dry ingredients. Stir to blend.
Add buttermilk and vanilla to the mixture.
Lightly beat the egg and egg yolk separately and add to the cocoa mixture. Mix just to combine. Don't over mix or the cupcakes will be tough.
Spoon in the batter equally into the muffin cups.
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the center of the cupcakes comes out clean and the top springs back when gently touched.
Unmold the cupcakes and cool to room temperature on wire racks. They can now be stored, covered in the refrigerator for 2 days or frozen for a month.
The cupcakes are ready to be decorated with frosting or dipped in chocolate ganache.

Recipe Notes

Use a kitchen scale to weigh ingredients and get accurate results
In baking, unless specified, you always get good results when all the ingredients are at room temperature
You will get 24 mini cupcakes. Start checking the oven after 7 minutes though for doneness.