chocolate cupcakes with cream cheese frosting.

I already know of a pretty darn awesome chocolate cake recipe, but I can't ascertain that it is the best ever yet. So I'm constantly on the lookout for better ones, and this one caught my eye because of its high percentage of cocoa powder plus its addition of melted bittersweet chocolate.

As expected, the cupcakes were intensely chocolaty, also partly due to the lesser than usual amount of sugar. I wasn't as thrilled with the texture though. Because they were made with butter, when refrigerated, the cupcakes go all rock hard. This problem can be solved by allowing the cupcakes to come to room temperature but by then, the frosting would be too soft. Plus, I find the cupcakes to be a bit crumbly which made for some messy eating.

If you like cream cheese frostings which you can actually taste the cream cheese in, you'll like this one. It's not extremely sweet, but it's not super tangy either. Actually, when cold it tastes a little more tangy but when it gradually warms up, a little sweetness creeps in. Very nice. But like most cream cheese frostings, it's a little hard to pipe unless you give it sufficient chill time. Probably at least 6 hours. This is a really good recipe- it shall become my default cream cheese frosting!

I can't really say the same for the cake, but its a worthy recipe nonetheless. My go-to chocolate cake shall remain the same for now. Next up, smitten kitchen's chocolate cake!

Dark Chocolate Cupcakes
adapted from here, originally from Cooks Illustrated
makes 12

1 stick unsalted butter
2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup dutch-processed cocoa powder
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp baking powder
2 large eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup sour cream (I used buttermilk)

Preheat oven to 350F. Line muffin tin with paper liners.

Combine butter, chocolate and cocoa in a medium heatproof bowl and heat over a saucepan of simmering water until the butter and chocolate just melt. Whisk until smooth and combined. Set aside to cool until just warm to touch.

Whisk flour, baking soda and baking powder together.

Whisk the eggs, sugar, vanilla and salt until incorporated. Add the cooled chocolate mixture and whisk to combine. Sift about 1/3 of the flour mixture over the chocolate mixture and whisk until combined. Stir in the sour cream then sift over the rest of the flour mixture and whisk batter until it is homogenous and thick.

Divide batter evenly among paper liners. Bake until skewer inserted in the center of the cupcakes comes out clean, about 14 minutes. Cool completely before frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting
adapted from here

1 8-ounce package cream cheese
1/2 stick unsalted butter
1 1/4 cups icing sugar, sifted
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Beat the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add the icing sugar and vanilla and stir until incorporated before beating until light and fluffy.