Name: Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Frosting
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 25 min
Ingredients: 100 g plain flour; 20 g cocoa powder; 140 g caster sugar; 1 ½ teaspoon of baking powder; 40 g unsalted butter; 120 ml whole milk; 1 egg; A pinch of salt; ¼ teaspoon of vanilla extract; 250 g icing sugar; 80 g unsalted butter; 25 ml whole milk; 50 g melted plain chocolate or cocoa powder

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This is really nice and easy chocolate cupcake recipe, which is also quick to bake. I’ve never had any major disasters with this recipe and the chocolate flavour is amazing, especially in the chocolate frosting. If you’ve tried my gluten free chocolate cupcake recipe, you’ll love this one too.

As always, the better the ingredients the better the flavour and the final result is going to be. Saying that, there are few tricks which you can use with this recipe, such as to add a coffee paste (one teaspoon of instant coffee granules with dash of hot water – just enough to make it into a paste) to the chocolate cupcakes batter.

The coffee just helps to bring out the chocolate flavour more. Another trick is to add a half a pinch of salt to the frosting. It amazingly balances the sweetness and again works great with the chocolate. It won’t taste salty and it can make a real difference between frosting that’s just O.K to the most amazing chocolate frosting you’ve ever tasted.

If you find the chocolate frosting too rich you can always swap the milk with water or use 50% water and 50% milk. It still works great and it makes the frosting slightly lighter. You can also try my vegan chocolate frosting recipe, which is much lighter than the traditional recipe.

MORE CHOCOLATE CAKES

Chocolate Cupcake Recipe with Chocolate Frosting

100g plain flour

20 g cocoa powder

140g caster sugar

1 ½ teaspoon of baking powder

40g unsalted butter

120ml whole milk

1 egg

A pinch of salt

¼ teaspoon of vanilla extract

Chocolate Frosting

250g icing sugar

80g unsalted butter

25ml whole milk

50g melted plain chocolate or cocoa powder

Makes 12 chocolate cupcakes

First of all, preheat the oven to 170 C (Gas 3). Put the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, cocoa and butter in a freestanding electric mixer with a paddle attachment (or use a handheld electric whisk) and beat on slow speed until you get a sandy consistency and everything is combined.

Gradually pour in half the milk and beat until the milk is just incorporated. Whisk the egg and remaining milk together in a separate bowl for a few seconds, then pour into the flour mixture and continue beating until just incorporated (scrape any unmixed ingredients from the side of the bowl with rubber spatula). Continue mixing for a couple of more minutes until the mixture is smooth. Do not over mix.

Spoon the mixture into the paper cases until two-thirds full and bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until light golden and the sponge bounces back when touched. A skewer inserted in the centre should come out clean. Leave the cupcakes to cool slightly in the tray before turning out onto a wire cooling rack to cool completely.

When the cupcakes are cold, spoon the chocolate frosting on top and decorate.

To make the chocolate frosting beat the icing sugar and butter together in a freestanding electric mixer with a paddle attachment (or use a handheld electric whisk) on medium-slow speed until the mixture comes together and is well mixed. Turn the mixer down to slow speed. This can be fairly tricky as the icing sugar will go everywhere, so I normally use clean teatowel loosely wrapped around the bowl (or on top) of my handheld whisk.

Combine the milk and chocolate in a separate bowl, then add to the butter mixture a couple of tablespoons at a time.

Once all the milk has been incorporated, turn the mixer up to high speed. Continue beating until the chocolate frosting is light and fluffy, at least 5 minutes. The longer the frosting is beaten, the fluffier and lighter it becomes.

These chocolate cupcakes are always a big hit with my friends, so I’m sure you’ll enjoy them too! If you bake your batch using my chocolate cupcake recipe, do let me know how you get on in the comments below.

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Magdalena