A friend emailed me this morning with one simple message: It's Audrey Hepburn's birthday.
So who doesn't like Audrey Hepburn? She's simple, elegant and not to mention - a fashion icon. I can't think of a better way to celebrate her birthday than baking something special, simple and classic - chocolate cupcakes.
Can you believe that I've never made cupcakes before? Yes, I swear. I've made muffins, sure but these are not cupcakes. I didn't actually enjoy making cupcakes because I don't like to wait for the butter to soften. I like instant gratification, that's why I usually go for muffins or any oil based baked goods recipe.
But today, there is a cause to make these and who's better to guide me than Dorie Greenspan? These cupcakes are really nice. They have a good crumbly texture to the cake and also a nice shiny glaze. I can't really find anything wrong with these. I just wish that I have two stomachs!
Chocolate-Chocolate Cupcakes
Adapted from Dorie Greenspan - Baking from my home to yours
Dry Ingredients:
1 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (I use organic cocoa powder)
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
Wet Ingredients:
8 tablespoons butter (113 grams) softened at room temperature
3/4 cup caster sugar
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup buttermilk (I used yogurt)
2 ounces melted and cooled bittersweet chocolate
Preheat the oven to 160C and prepare a 12 piece muffin tray lined with paper cups.
Mix all the dry ingredients together. Set aside.
Cream the butter for 2-3 minutes with a hand mixer. Add the sugar and beat for 2 minutes Add the egg and beat for 1 minute. Add the egg yolk then beat for another minute. Beat in the vanilla extract. Add half the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Add half the buttermilk or yogurt. Add the last of the dry ingredients, mix until combined, then the buttermilk. With a spatula, fold in the melted chocolate. You will have a fairly dense and smooth batter. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Insert a cake tester and the cupcakes are done when it comes out clean. Set to cool for 5 minutes in the muffin pan. Move to cool to room temperature on a cooling rack.
For the glaze:
3 ounces of chopped bittersweet chocolate
2 tablespoons of cold butter chopped into 6 pieces
1 tablespoon sifted powdered sugar
Melt the chocolate and butter. I used the microwave for this. Mix in the sugar. You will have a loose icing. I simply hold the cupcake upside down and dunk the top onto the glaze. You can use a small offset spatula but I didn't. At this point, you can decorate this with candies or sprinkles. The glaze will harden after a few minutes but mine didn't lose their shine. Yum!
Can you believe that I've never made cupcakes before? Yes, I swear. I've made muffins, sure but these are not cupcakes. I didn't actually enjoy making cupcakes because I don't like to wait for the butter to soften. I like instant gratification, that's why I usually go for muffins or any oil based baked goods recipe.
But today, there is a cause to make these and who's better to guide me than Dorie Greenspan? These cupcakes are really nice. They have a good crumbly texture to the cake and also a nice shiny glaze. I can't really find anything wrong with these. I just wish that I have two stomachs!
Chocolate-Chocolate Cupcakes
Adapted from Dorie Greenspan - Baking from my home to yours
Dry Ingredients:
1 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (I use organic cocoa powder)1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
Wet Ingredients:
8 tablespoons butter (113 grams) softened at room temperature
3/4 cup caster sugar
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup buttermilk (I used yogurt)
2 ounces melted and cooled bittersweet chocolate
Preheat the oven to 160C and prepare a 12 piece muffin tray lined with paper cups.
Mix all the dry ingredients together. Set aside.
Cream the butter for 2-3 minutes with a hand mixer. Add the sugar and beat for 2 minutes Add the egg and beat for 1 minute. Add the egg yolk then beat for another minute. Beat in the vanilla extract. Add half the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Add half the buttermilk or yogurt. Add the last of the dry ingredients, mix until combined, then the buttermilk. With a spatula, fold in the melted chocolate. You will have a fairly dense and smooth batter. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Insert a cake tester and the cupcakes are done when it comes out clean. Set to cool for 5 minutes in the muffin pan. Move to cool to room temperature on a cooling rack.
For the glaze:
3 ounces of chopped bittersweet chocolate
2 tablespoons of cold butter chopped into 6 pieces
1 tablespoon sifted powdered sugar
Melt the chocolate and butter. I used the microwave for this. Mix in the sugar. You will have a loose icing. I simply hold the cupcake upside down and dunk the top onto the glaze. You can use a small offset spatula but I didn't. At this point, you can decorate this with candies or sprinkles. The glaze will harden after a few minutes but mine didn't lose their shine. Yum!
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