Chocolate Cupcakes

Sometimes a girl just needs her cupcakes.  For about five years now, I’ve kept a card given to me by my close friend Lise that simply says, “Emergency Chocolate,” on the front.  One day, I plan on framing it and hanging the cautionary sign in my kitchen to remind me that no matter how many times a soufflé may fall, a glass may break, or a dish may have too much salt, there’s always emergency chocolate to make things better again. In some ways, these cupcakes fit the bill nicely–easy to whip up and filled with dark chocolate, simple Chocolate Cupcakes make perfect rewards after a culinary feat or small treats for a job well done.  The combination of dark chocolate cocoa with a simple Nutella frosting instantly dresses up an otherwise basic bakery good.

 Pictured: Nutella icing dresses up a simple Chocolate Cupcake with a fast and easy frosting.

I’ve chronicled my successes and love affairs with this same Chocolate Cake recipe here and here, and believe that whether you’re making the full batch into a cake or mini cupcakes, the results are always great.  Easy to dress and easy to eat, these chocolate cupcakes satisfy when you just need a cupcake…or maybe two.

Chocolate Cupcakes

Ingredients:

–Cake–

* 3 cups all purpose flour

* 1 1/2 tsp salt

* 3/4 tsp baking powder

* 1 1/2 tsp baking soda

* 1 cup + 2 tablespoons water

* 1 cup + 2 tablespoons canola (or vegetable) oil

* 3/4 cup water

* 4 extra large, or 5 large eggs

* 2-3 tablespoons almond extract

* 1 tablespoon vanilla extract, optional

* 2 2/3 cup sugar

* 1 cup + 2 tablespoons cocoa, unsweetened

–Icing–

* 2 cups Nutella

1.) Preheat oven to 350F.  Begin by preparing your dry and wet ingredients: sift together flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.  Set aside.

2.) Create wet mixture with a canola (or vegetable) oil and water base.  Mix 1 cup + 2 tablespoons oil with 1 cup + 2 tablespoons water in a standing mixer for 2 minutes. Once oil and water have been mixing for 2-3 minutes, add eggs, 3/4 cup water, almond (and vanilla if using it) extract; mix on low-medium for 1-2 minutes until fully integrated.  Finally, add sugar and cocoa until fully integrated.

3.) Slowly add dry ingredients to wet mixture making sure to scrape down the sides as you combine the two.

4.) Scoop batter into lined cupcake pans.  Since most cupcake pans easily overfill during cooking, it’s a good idea to fill the cupcake halfway.

5.) Bake Cupcakes for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Remove from oven and cool completely.

5.) Ice cooled cupcakes with desired amounts of Nutella for frosting and decorate.  

Makes 24-30 cupcakes.

–Helana Brigman

—

Follow me on Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/helana/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/DancesWLobsters

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Clearly-Delicious/103136413059101

Tumblr: http://clearlydelicious.tumblr.com/

Instagram: http://instagram.com/helanabrigman