Chocolate Cupcakes with Buttercream Frosting

This chocolate cupcake recipe is for my fellow chocoholics. I've feeling down lately. Mainly because my husband was awy on business trip. Nothing improves my mood better than chocolate. So I made these cupcakes, hoping that these will miraculasouly lift my mood.

It worked. These were a charm.

My husband and I are kind of close.  We spend our evenings, weekends, holidays together, as a family. Me, him and our two little birds. So when he goes away on business trip  , you can see how this deeply disrupts our routine.

There is nothing I hate more than a disrupted routine.

I’ve tried convincing myself that this is a opportunity for me to spend some quality alone time with the kids (as if i don't do enough of that already).  

I’ve tried to convince myself that its only five day, they’ll pass

I’ve tried to think of all the gifts he will get us.

Its not working. Am a nervous wreck.

 Meanwhile, I bake. Baking is my refuge. 

Since I think of baking as therapy. I decided to bake myself some super chocolate cupcakes. You know, nothings lifts my spirits better than a good chocolate dessert. 

Am glad to report that these cupcakes have kept me sane while the hubby is away.

Yep. These cakes have kept my company well.

But that is the kind of effect you would expect when you eat a dessert worth god only knows how may calories per serving.

I do hope your piping skills are better than mine, I hate how I clumsily frosted these cupcakes, but overall am very satisfied with how these things turned out. 

I could have far done worst.

Especially since the hubby is away.

P.S. the original recipe states to fill the cupcakes 2/3 which yields 24 cupcakes, but since am greedy, I filled them 3/4 and ended up with 18 cupcakes. 

Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

 For the cupcakes:

Recipe adapted from My Baking Addiction

Ingredients:

For the cupcakes

• 1 3/4 cups or 177g all-purpose flour
• 2 cups or 408g sugar
• 3/4 cups or 90g unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup or 250ml buttermilk, shaken
• 1/2 cup or 115g melted butter
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
•  1 cup or 250ml freshly brewed hot coffee
• 1/2 cup or  semisweet chocolate chips

For the Frosting:

Recipe adapted from Brown Eyed Baker

• 1 cup or 230g unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2½ cups or or 317g powdered sugar, sifted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup or 113g semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled chocolate chips, for garnish

Steps: 

 For the cupcakes 

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C /350 °F /Gas mark 4. 
2. Line a standard cupcake pan with paper liners; set aside. 
3. Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and mix on low speed until combined. 
4. In another bowl, combine the buttermilk, butter, eggs, and vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry.
5. With mixer still on low, add the coffee and stir just to combine, scraping the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
6. Fold in the chocolate chips.
7. Using a large scoop, distribute the batter between prepared cupcake pan, filling each well 3/4 full. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean. 
8. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then remove to a cooling rack and cool completely.

For the Frosting:

1. In a heat proof bowl, placed over your double boiler, place the chocolate over low heat. Stir occasionally till the chocolate melts.
2. In the bowl of your stand mixer, fitted with the wire whisk attachment, whip the butter on medium-high speed for 5 minutes, scrape the bowl as needed.
3. Reduce the speed to low and gradually add the powdered sugar. 
4. Once all of the powdered sugar is incorporated, increase the speed to medium-high and add the vanilla, mixing until incorporated. 
5. Add the melted chocolate and whip at medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.

Frost the cupcakes using your favorite piping head.

Garnish with chocolate chips.

 Devour & Enjoy.

Please share & comment. Leave a comment if you like what you see, oh and btw, am willing to share one of these if you share this post.