When it comes to cupcakes, it’s a dream to have found the perfect indulgent chocolate cupcake recipe that’s not too tricky and is gorgeous every single time you make them. Well friends, this is it! Courtesy of cupcake experts Sprinkles, I’ve adapted their Dark Chocolate Cupcake recipe and it is divine. Decadently chocolatey and with a devilish frosting, these are 100% worth the extra effort. I also make these as a sandwich cake for birthdays, special occasions… actually, who am I kidding, I’ve made it for a regular Tuesday… Just bake in two 9 inch circular tins and use the frosting in the middle and on top instead!
Chocolate Cupcakes
Ingredients
125g butter or baking spread
140g caster sugar
60g light brown muscovado sugar
140g plain flour
80g cocoa powder
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
160ml buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
Frosting
150g unsalted butter
180g dark chocolate, melted and cooled to room temperature
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
400g icing sugar
2 tbsp milk
pinch salt
Method
- Preheat your oven to 180°C/160°C fan/gas mark 4 and line a muffin pan with 12 cupcake cases or reusable liners. (Or line your two circular tins.)
- Pop your butter/baking spread and both sugars into a bowl and beat with a hand or stand mixer until the mix looks light. You’ll probably need to mix for about 3 minutes on a medium-high speed.
- While that’s mixing, combine the flour, cocoa baking powder and bicarbonate of soda in another bowl.
- Measure out the buttermilk and stir the vanilla into it.
- Add your eggs to the butter and sugar mix and reduce the speed of the mixer. Mix for a couple of minutes until creamy.
- Add half the flour and mix slowly.
- Add the buttermilk mixture and mix again.
- Pop in the remaining flour mixture and beat again until just combined.
- Use your ice cream scoop to measure out 12 even portions.
- Into the oven they go! Leave them for 18 to 20 minutes, until a skewer or toothpick comes out clean.
- Frosting time! Make sure the cakes are completely cool before frosting.
- Beat the butter and salt using a hand or stand mixer for two minutes until it’s fluffy.
- Slowly add the icing sugar and beat until it’s smooth.
- Add the vanilla and melted chocolate and blend until just combined.
- Add the milk, 1 tbsp at a time if needed. You’re looking for a consistency that will spread easily on your cakes. I find that the milk is needed, but you might not!
- Transfer your frosting to a piping bag and decorate your cakes. Alternatively you can just spread the frosting onto the cakes with a palette knife. Either works – the objective is just getting the frosting onto the cakes!!
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Adapted from The Sprinkles Baking Book.
