Chocolate Cupcakes

By sklesley

Ingredients

• Cupcakes:
• 8 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
• 2 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped
• 1/2 cup cocoa
• 3/4 cup flour
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 3/4 tsp. baking powder
• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• Frosting:
• 16 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 2 Tbsp. corn syrup
• pinch of salt
• 2/3 cup confectioners sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 8 Tbsp. unsalted butter cut into 8 pieces

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350. Line a cupcake tin with baking-cup liners.

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

Whisk together flour, baking soda, and baking powder in a small bowl.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, then whisk in sugar, vanilla, and salt until fully incorporated. Add the cooled chocolate mixture and whisk until combined. Whisk in one-third of the flour mixture until combined. Whisk in the sour cream next, then sift in the remaining flour mixture until combined and thick.

Divide the batter evenly between the cupcake cups and bake for 18-20 minutes.

Cool the cupcakes in the pan on a wire rack until cool enough to handle (about 15 minutes). Lift from pan and cool about 30 minutes more.

While cupcakes cool, prepare the frosting. Place the chocolate in a food processor. Bring cream, corn syrup, and salt to boil in a small saucepan and stir to combine. With the food processor running, gradually add the hot cream mixture through the feed tube and process until the mixture is smooth (about 1 minute), scraping down the bowl once. Add the sugar and vanilla and process until combined (about another 30 seconds), scraping down the bowl again. With the machine running, add butter one piece at a time and process until smooth with no butter chunks remaining (about another minute). Transfer to a small bowl and let stand at room temperature until thick and spreadable (about 30 minutes).

To ice the cupcakes, mound about 2 Tbsp. of the frosting on the center of each cupcake. Use a small spatula or a butter knife to spread the icing to the edge of the cupcake.