DECADENT CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES

We will start with the cake first (in my opinion its the best part) I could it plain with no icing but that’s another story for another day…

• 1 1/2 sticks or 3/4 cups salted butter melted plus Butter cooking spray
• 1 1/4 of unsweetened cocoa powder plus a little extra reserved ( hang on for that part)
• 2 cups of all purpose flour
• 1 3/4cups of granulated sugar
• 1/2 cups of brown sugar (light brown)
• 2 tsp. baking soda
• 1 heaping tsp. baking powder
• 2 tsp. kosher salt
• 4 large eggs slightly beaten at room temperature( I prefer organic large brown eggs)
• 1 heaping cup of sour cream
• 1 1/2 cups of water

Now lets get to the Delicious Frosting for all of you frosting lovers…

• 2 sticks or 1 cups of unsalted butter softened
• 3 1/2 cups of powdered sugar
• 1/2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 tbsp. heavy cream or half and half
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla
• 1/2 tsp. kosher salt

Now lets get these babies mixed and baking

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Take your standard size cupcake pan and I like to use cupcake liners but you do not have to. Spray the empty pan with cooking butter spray put a liner in each hole and lightly spray again. Take a small amount of cocoa powder and lightly sprinkle it around the liners. (very lightly) Now normally something like this could be made in a stand mixer but trust me this is not one of those times. Take all of your dry ingredients, the cocoa, flour, sugars, baking soda, baking powder and salt and put in a mixing bowl and whisk until everything is broken up and fine. Make a little pit or well in your mixture and add your eggs which must be at room temp, if they are cold simply put them in warm water for a few, melted butter and sour cream plus the water. Slowly whisk everything until just combined, do not overmix. Use a large ice cream scoop and fill each cupcake hole with the mixture until about 3/4 full. Once all are filled put them in the oven and cook about 25 minutes or until a knife comes out clean. Allow to cool for about 15 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack and let finish cooling. Now for the frosting, take the softened butter put it into your stand mixer and beat until fluffy, now add a little at a time as to not create a cocoa dust cloud, add the cocoa, powdered sugar, cream, vanilla and salt. Mix until just combined but still fluffy and light. Once the cupcakes are completely cool decorate the cupcakes in any way you life, an offset spatula, a piping bag or just smeared on.. I prefer smeared as they never last long enough for anyone to care how the frosting looks.

NOW ENJOY!!!!