Chocolate Buttercream Cupcakes

   

 Ingredients:

For the Cupcakes: Makes 12 cupcakes 

* 1/2cup + 1tbsp All Purpose Flour

* 1/2cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder

* 1/2tsp Salt

* 1/2tsp Baking Soda

* 1/4tsp Baking Powder 

* 1/2cup Unsalted Butter (room temperature)

* 1/2cup + 1tbsp Granulated Sugar

* 1 Egg (room temperature)

* 3tbsp Sour cream (room temperature)

* 1+ 1/4tsp Vanilla extract 

* 1+ 1/4tsp Instant Coffee Granules 

* 1/2cup + 1tbsp Buttermilk (room temperature)

For the Buttercream Frosting:

* 1cup Unsalted Butter at room temperature

* 3 + 1/2cups Icing Sugar 

* 1tsp Milk

* 1tsp Vanilla extract 

For the topping:

* 1/2cup Semi sweet Chocolate chips 

* 1/2cup Whipping cream 

* Dark chocolate shavings as a garnish 

Method:

1. Pre heat oven to 350 degrees. Line 1 cupcake pan (12 cupcakes) with paper liners. 

2. Combine the sifted flour, cocoa, salt, baking powder, and baking soda, in a large bowl. Whisk to combine. Set aside.

3. Using a stand mixer, with paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar on medium speed, until pale and fluffy. Scrape sides and bottom of the bowl, ensuring the mixture is well combined. 

4. Add in the egg, mixing on low, until just combined. 

5. In a bowl combine the vanilla and the instant coffee granules. Add the vanilla coffee mixture together with the sour cream to the batter, and beat on medium until well combined. 

6. Add in the dry ingredients (#9) and buttermilk in 5 parts. Start with dry and end with dry. Add in 1/3 of the dry ingredients, then 1/2 of the buttermilk, then 1/3 of the dry ingredients, then last half of buttermilk, and finally the last 1/3 of the dry ingredients. Mix in between each addition. 

7. Once the batter has been combined, scoop the batter into the cupcake liners (fill 2/3 of the liner). Bake for 18-20 minutes. Once ready, remove from oven and cool for 5 minutes in the pan. 

8. Transfer to cooling rack for cooling completely, prior to frosting. 

9. Add the butter in a bowl and using electric beater, whisk until pale and light. Whisk on medium high speed. 

10. Slowly, a little at a time, add in the icing sugar whisking on medium speed, until combined. 

11. Add in the vanilla and milk next. Scrape the sides of the bowl with a spatula ensuring all the ingredients are combined. Turn the beater to high speed, and beat the mixture on high for 2 minutes, until mixture is light and fluffy.  

12. Heat the cream in a pan, until just up to a boil. Put the chocolate chips in a heat safe bowl. Pour the heated cream over the chocolate chips, whisking all the time, until the chips melt, and the mixture becomes smooth and silky. Leave to cool. 

Putting the Cupcakes together:

1. Once the cupcakes have cooled, fill a piping bag with the buttercream frosting. Pipe the frosting on to each cupcake. 

2. Fill another piping bag with the chocolate ganache (alternately you could drizzle the ganache over the frosting), and pipe the ganache onto the frosting. 

3. Sprinkle chocolate shavings onto the cupcakes. And Serve. 

  

Hope you enjoy making these decadent chocolate cupcakes! 

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