Chocolate Cupcakes
#TheDevilIsInTheDetails
INGREDIENTS
Cupcakes
175g all purpose flour
225g caster sugar
50g cocoa powder
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
½ tsp salt
175g unsalted butter, softened
2 large eggs, at room temperature
175ml milk
Frosting
1 batch of my chocolate American or Swiss meringue buttercream frosting.
METHOD
Makes 12
Level: Easy
Cupcakes
Preheat a fan-forced oven to 140C (280F) or 160C (320F) for a conventional oven. Line a cupcake tin with brown cupcake liners.
Add the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, bicarb soda and salt to a large mixing bowl and mix together using a hand mixer to combine.
Next add the softened butter and mix on low speed until the mixture reaches a crumbly sand like texture.
Add the eggs and milk. Mix on low speed until no dry ingredients are showing. Scrape down the bowl and mix for a final 20 seconds.
Fill each liner 3/4 of the way. Using an ice cream scoop to transfer the batter into the cupcake liners makes this a quick and easy process and ensures everything is filled the same amount and bakes at the same. Bake for 40-50 min or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. I bake my cupcakes on a slow, low temperature. This ensures they don’t colour and crack on top. Allow the cupcakes to cool completely on a wire cooling rack before frosting.
Fit the end of a piping bag with a Wilton 1M piping tip, fill your bag with frosting and frost your cupcakes in a swirl.
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HELPFUL TIPS!
STORAGE: store in an airtight container for up to 3 days (refrigerated and thawed 40 min before serving). Although I’d recommend baking and serving on the same day.
EQUIPMENT: Can be made using a hand mixer (always mix on lowest speed) or a hand whisk. Take care not to over mix the batter.
OVEN TEMPERATURE: Each oven is different. Some are old, some are new. Some ovens can be hotter on the inside than the temp you set your oven at. If you find your cupcakes, cakes or macarons are browning or cracking, turn the oven temp down 10C. A handy trick is to get an oven thermometer which sits inside the oven and will give you an accurate temperature reading. They’re inexpensive and can be purchased online or at your local kitchen supply store. And always bake in the centre rack of the oven for best results!
BAKING TIME: These cupcakes will typically bake on a lower temp and for a little longer than regular cupcake recipes. I find a low temperate and a slow bake results in flatter tops and no caramelisation so that if the cupcakes are coloured they don’t change colour and brown. After 40 minutes, stick a skewer into the centre of one of the cupcakes, if it comes out with wet batter, bake for another 10 minutes until the skewer comes out with crumbs or completely clean.
TOOLS:
Large mixing bowls
Spatula
Magic Whisk for wet ingredients
Kitchen Scales
Stand mixer (or hand mixer)
Wire rack
Frosting bag
Tablespoon
Measuring spoons
Cupcake baking tin
Paper liners
Ice cream scoop (optional)