A friend recently requested chocolate cupcakes with coconut frosting for her birthday treat. She was very specific; she wanted a bite-sized dessert that would taste like a Mounds candy bar. After doing a recipe search and not finding exactly what I was looking for, I decided to wing it. Since I wanted a moist and very chocolatey cupcake, I went with a recipe for Dark Chocolate Cupcakes that I’ve had great results with. The batter is made with sour cream and two kinds of chocolate (bittersweet and cocoa powder). Yumm!

I made a basic cream cheese frosting and flavored it with a little coconut extract, vanilla and sweetened shredded coconut. I mounded a blob of icing onto each cooled cupcake, swirling it around to make it look pretty then garnished it with a bit more shredded coconut. The result was a perfect Mounds Cupcake. My friend was so excited when she saw them, and even more excited once she took a bite.

These delicious dark chocolate cupcakes go great with a variety of frostings, such as cream cheese, vanilla, or berry (strawberry, raspberry). Enjoy!!!

Dark Chocolate Cupcakes
-recipe from Cook’s Illustrated (March 1, 2005)

This recipe does not double very well. Cupcakes made from a doubled batch and baked side by side in the oven yield a slightly compromised rise. It’s best to make two separate batches and bake each separately. Store leftover cupcakes (frosted or unfrosted) in the refrigerator, but let them come to room temperature before serving.

Makes 12 cupcakes. 

 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup Dutch-processed cocoa (1 1/2 ounces)
3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour (3 3/4 ounces)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda 
3/4 teaspoon baking powder 
2 large eggs 
3/4 cup sugar (5 1/4 ounces)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract 
1/2 teaspoon table salt 
1/2 cup sour cream (4 ounces)

Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position; heat oven to 350 degrees. Line standard-sized muffin pan (cups have 1/2-cup capacity) with baking-cup liners.

Combine butter, chocolate, and cocoa in medium heatproof bowl. Set bowl over saucepan containing barely simmering water; heat mixture until butter and chocolate are melted and whisk until smooth and combined. Set aside to cool until just warm to the touch.

Whisk flour, baking soda, and baking powder in small bowl to combine.

Whisk eggs in second medium bowl to combine; add sugar, vanilla, and salt and whisk until fully incorporated. Add cooled chocolate mixture and whisk until combined. Sift about one-third of flour mixture over chocolate mixture and whisk until combined; whisk in sour cream until combined, then sift remaining flour mixture over and whisk until batter is homogenous and thick.

Divide batter evenly among muffin pan cups. Bake until skewer inserted into center of cupcakes comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes.

Cool cupcakes in muffin pan on wire rack until cool enough to handle, about 15 minutes. Carefully lift each cupcake from muffin pan and set on wire rack. Cool to room temperature before icing, about 30 minutes. (To frost: Mound about 2 tablespoons icing on center of each cupcake. Using small icing spatula or butter knife, spread icing to edge of cupcake, leaving slight mound in center.)

Blog parties I’m linked to:
Cupcake Carnival
Cupcake Tuesday
Tuesdays at the Table
Tasty Tuesday
Tempt My Tummy Tuesday
Tuesday Tastes
Delicious Dishes
Whatever Goes Wednesday
Chocolate Fridays

Tags: birthday treats, bittersweek chocolate, cupcakes, dark chocolate, kid treats

Mmmm, chocolate cupcakes.  I’ve tried making Devil’s Food Cupcakes before but have never been happy with the results. That is until I met this recipe for Chocolate Devil’s Food Cupcakes.  These cupcakes were really good…moist and chocolatey with a fine crumb. Although the cupcakes and frosting are from two different sources, I thought they worked great together. I recommend spending the extra money for the cake flour because it is specially milled to create a tender texture in cakes. The creamy vanilla frosting recipe makes enough to spread an ample amount of frosting on each cupcake. You’ll want to double it, however, if you want mounds of frosting on each cupcake or you’re going to pipe the frosting on with a decorating bag.

For other great cupcake ideas, visit Cupcake Tuesday.

Chocolate Devil’s Food Cupcakes
-recipe from foodnetwork.com

Makes: 36 medium-sized cupcakes

 3/4 cup boiling water
3/4 cup cocoa powder
6 ounces butter
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon fine salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 eggs
2 1/2 cups cake flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup buttermilk

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Whisk together boiling water and cocoa. Cover and set aside. With a mixer, cream together the butter, sugar, salt and vanilla extract. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, and continue creaming until light and fluffy. Sift together the flour, baking soda and baking powder and add this mixture, alternately with the buttermilk. Add cocoa and water mixture and mix until thoroughly combined. Scoop into cupcake pans and bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool completely before decorating. 

Easy Vanilla Frosting
- recipe from kingarthurflour.com

Yield: 2 3/4 cups frosting

This is a simple, basic frosting, good for spreading on cupcakes or in-the-pan cakes. It goes together quickly and spreads easily.

6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/3 cup vegetable shortening
1/8 teaspoon salt
4 to 5 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 to 1/3 cup milk or cream

In a large bowl, beat together the butter, shortening, and salt till fluffy. Add about half the confectioners’ sugar, and beat slowly until well blended. Add the vanilla and half the milk or cream, and beat until fluffy. Continue mixing in sugar and milk alternately until they’ve been completely incorporated. Beat until the frosting is light and fluffy. 

Tips from King Arthur bakers:
If you want some frosting left over to use in decorating, increase the ingredient amounts to: 1/2 cup butter, 1/2 cup vegetable shortening, approximately 6 cups confectioners’ sugar, and up to 1/2 cup milk or cream.

Tags: chocolate, cupcakes, vanilla frosting