Dark Chocolate Cupcakes

Like I promised, this will be my last post from the baby shower series. Inside the boxes set on the table were these adorable cupcakes as shower favors. Since the mother-to-be is expecting a boy, I decorated the cupcakes by placing little blue fondant animal cut-outs in the middle of the chocolate frosting.

One thing to note about this recipe is that it does double very well. Cooks Illustrated recommended making two separate batches and baking each separately as to not compromise the cupcakes' rise. Another tip for cupcakes is to refrigerate them unfrosted overnight, then let them come to room temperature before frosting and serving. This helps give cupcakes that moist texture that make biting into a cupcake so enjoyable.


Dark Chocolate Cupcakes
from Cooks Illustrated

Ingredients:
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup Dutch-processed cocoa
3/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
2 large eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sour cream

Directions:
1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position; heat oven to 350 F degrees. Line standard-sized muffin pan with baking-cup liners.
2. 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.
3. Whisk flour, baking soda, and baking powder in small bowl to combine.
4. 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.
5. Divide batter evenly among muffin pan cups. Bake until skewer inserted into center of cupcakes comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes.
6. 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.
7. Frost with chocolate cream frosting, recipe below.


Chocolate Cream Frosting
Ingredients:
12 ounces semisweet chocolate
1 2/3 cups heavy cream
1/4 cup light corn syrup

Directions:
1. Break up chocolate and pulverize in food processor until it is the texture of coarse sand.
2. Bring heavy cream to a boil, and with machine running, pour hot cream over the chocolate. Add corn syrup; process until just combined.
3. Turn mixture into a bowl and refrigerate until spreadable, stirring with a wooden spoon every 15 minutes; about 1 hour.