Monday, September 29, 2008

Chocolate Cupcakes with Whipped Cream Frosting



I served this at my family barbecue. I wanted the kids to be able to decorate their cupcakes themselves and add whatever toppings they liked.

Unfortunately, they could not wait so they ate them plain. I made some pretty ones for the grownups!

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter at room temperature
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup light brown sugar
2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk, shaken, at room temperature
1/2 cup sour cream, at room temperature
2 tablespoons brewed coffee
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup good cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, (makes 12-15 cupcakes depending on size)

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and 2 sugars on high speed until light and fluffy, approximately 5 minutes. Lower the speed to medium, add the eggs 1 at a time, then add the vanilla and mix well.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, sour cream, and coffee.

In another bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. On low speed, add the buttermilk mixture and the flour mixture alternately in thirds to the mixer bowl, beginning with the buttermilk mixture and ending with the flour mixture. Mix only until blended. Fold the batter with a rubber spatula to be sure it's completely blended.

Divide the batter among the cupcake pans (1 rounded standard ice cream scoop per cup is the right amount). Bake in the middle of the oven for 20 to 25 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.

Cool for 10 minutes, remove from the pans, and allow to cool completely before frosting.

Whipped Cream Frosting
1 pint of heavy whipping cream
1 tbl Vanilla
Sugar to taste

Add the vanilla to a preferably cold bowl and using the whipping attachment of your Kitchenaide Mixer or Hand Mixer whip until soft peaks form, add your sugar (less than 1/4 cup for me), and continue whipping until firm peaks form (don't over whip or you will have butter)

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

This looks great. Letting the kids decorate the cupcakes themselves was a great idea!

Jan said...

They look very decadent, and exceedingly yummy. I love chocolate cake, I'm sure I wouldn't have been able to wait for the toppings either. :-)

Paula said...

My daughter let out a longing cry when she saw this photo! She wants it all ... the cupcake and the M&M's. I prefer whipped cream over regular frosting. Love your red plates! On a silly note, when I read that the buttermilk should be shaken, I thought of the James Bond line of shaken not stirred. Hey, these could be James Bond cupcakes!

MaryBeth said...

Yummy...I will take a bakers dozen PLEASE !!!

Anonymous said...

Those look awesome! I would have eaten them plain too!

My Sweet & Saucy said...

Yummy! What tasty looking cupcakes!

NuKiwi said...

I might try that one too...perhaps dust a bit of cocoa powder over the top of the frosting...never too much chocolate, right?... ;o)

Anonymous said...

These cupcakes look so great that I decided to make them. However, after reading and rereading the recipe I've noticed that some basic and needed information is completely missing.

No oven temperature is given.

No mention of when or how the incorporate the butter and 2 sugars into the batter.

No mention of approximately how many cupcakes this recipe makes.

I filled in the gaps the best I could but forgot that buttermilk and butter are not friends the longer they mingle. So I had to rush to get the liquids mixed into the dry ingredients. And since the recipe actually doesn't mention sifting the dry ingredients together until the end - I had to think of Martha and how she would probably say - sift the dry ingredients first and have everything ready to go quickly. Dang you Martha Stewart, dang you. Invading my brain.

The finished cupcakes rose beautiful and smell great and will not doubt taste terrific.

But hey you didn't mention your recipe for the whipped cream frosting.

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