Recipe: Dark Chocolate Cupcake

For all those days when all you want a simple, comforting and delicious chocolate cupcake, this is the recipe. Soft, dark chocolate cake topped with a dollop of cream.

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder
• 2/3 cup boiling water
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 12 Tbs. unsalted butter,
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 3 eggs
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:

Preheat an oven to 350°F (180°C). Line 18 standard muffin cups with paper liners, or butter and dust with flour.

In a bowl, whisk the cocoa powder into the boiling water. Let cool to lukewarm, then whisk in the buttermilk. In another bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda and salt.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the flat beater, beat together the butter, sugar and brown sugar on medium speed until combined.

Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition and adding the vanilla along with the final egg.

Reduce the speed to low and add the flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with the cocoa mixture and beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Beat just until combined.

Divide the batter among the prepared muffin cups, filling each almost full. Bake until the cupcakes are puffed and a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer the pans to a wire rack and let the cupcakes cool completely.
Remove the cupcakes from the pans. Spread a thick layer of frosting on each cupcake and serve.

Add a dollop of cream on top.