Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Frosting
Top your chocolate cupcakes with chocolate frosting, either pipe it like a pastry chef or just slather it over top. Then sprinkle with your favorite toppings.
- Duration
- Cook Time
- Prep Time
- 12Servings
Ingredients
Cupcakes
- 4 tablespoon unsalted butter or vegan butter
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ½ cup water
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch process)
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup buttermilk or soy milk mixed with lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Frosting and Topping:
- 4 ounce bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
- ½ cup heavy cream or coconut milk
- 3 tablespoon unsalted butter or vegan butter
- 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
- Pinch salt
- Chopped salted peanuts, for topping (optional)
- Mini chocolate chips, for topping (optional)
- Mini marshmallows, for topping (optional)
Preparation
Make the cake:
- Preheat the oven to 350℉.
- Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper or foil liners. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter with the vegetable oil and water over low heat.
- In a large bowl, sift the flour with the sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the melted butter mixture and beat with a handheld mixer at low speed until smooth.
- Add the egg and beat until incorporated, then add the buttermilk and vanilla and beat until smooth, scraping the bottom and side of the bowl.
- Pour the batter into the lined muffin tins, filling them about three-fourths full.
- Bake the cupcakes in the center of the oven for about 25 minutes, until springy and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let the cupcakes cool slightly, then transfer them to a rack to cool completely.
Meanwhile, make the frosting:
- Put the chopped chocolate in a heatproof medium bowl.
- In a small saucepan, heat the cream with the butter, corn syrup and salt until hot but not boiling. Immediately pour the mixture over the chocolate. Let stand for 5 minutes, then whisk until smooth.
- Let the frosting cool, whisking occasionally, until thick enough for dipping and glazing the cupcakes, about 30 minutes.
- For a frosting firm enough to spread, let stand for 1 hour.
- Frost the cooled cupcakes and top with peanuts, chocolate chips and/or marshmallows and serve.
HOW TO MAKE AHEAD
The un-frosted cupcakes can be wrapped in plastic and stored at room temperature for up to 2 days or frozen for up to 1 month.
The chocolate frosting can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Return to room temperature before using.
