Chocolate Cupcakes

In an effort to not overwhelm everyone with chocolate eggs at Easter I will often make a big batch of chocolate cupcakes as gifts. Sometimes I will make milk chocolate and other times white chocolate and if I have enough time I might even make both.

Chocolate cupcakes look beautiful, taste amazing and are always well received, I mean, who doesn’t love a good chocolate cupcake? If you add to your chocolate cupcake a big swirl of chocolate buttercream you then have delicious chocolate food imitating art.

There have been Easter’s when I have purchased beautiful cupcake boxes to house a variety of chocolate flavoured cupcakes. Other times I have purchased a pretty mug or a glass and placed a single beautiful cupcake on a small bed of individually wrapped chocolates and gifted. While I usually reserve these ideas for Easter I believe they are a wonderful food gift at any time of year.

Delicious chocolate cupcakes topped with chocolate buttercream

3/4 cup flour 
1/2 cup cocoa powder
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/3 cup vegetable oil or melted coconut oil
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup buttermilk

1. Preheat the oven to 180 C and line a 14 muffin cups with cupcake liners and set aside.
2. Whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl until thoroughly combined. Set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs, granulated sugar, brown sugar, oil, and vanilla together until completely smooth.
4. Pour half of the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Then half of the buttermilk. Gently whisk for a few seconds. Repeat with the remaining wet ingredients and buttermilk. Stir until combined but do not overmix. The batter will be thin.
5. Spoon the batter into the liners, filling only halfway 
6. Bake for 18-21 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
7. Allow cupcakes to cool completely before frosting with Chocolate Buttercream.

Chocolate Buttercream

230g unsalted butter
3 and 1/2 cups icing sugar
1/2 cup cocoa powder
3 Tablespoons cream or milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1. With a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy, about 2 minutes.
2. Add icing sugar, cocoa powder, heavy cream, salt, and vanilla extract with the mixer running on low. Increase to high speed and beat for 3 full minutes.
3. Add up to 1/2 cup more icing sugar if frosting is too thin or another Tablespoon of cream if frosting is too thick.