Triple Chocolate Cupcakes

Okay, I know the name is insane and bodes ill... but just bear with me on this one...you won't regret it!

I was really craving chocolate and by really craving I mean REALLY craving chocolate... more than on a normal weekday, much more. So I set out on a quest of finding a great chocolate recipe which I could make without having to go to the supermarket. I found a recipe on Joy of Baking which appealed to me, but the cake was based on cocoa. Now I'm not a big fan of cocoa-based cakes...they tend to be dry and not-very-chocolaty-tasting. But the shear amount of cocoa combined with hot water left me feeling optimistic. Although the chocolate frosting also played some part in that. So I decided to try the recipe but add some chocolate chips to the cake batter to make up for the cocoa-based cake batter.

I now have some good news and bad news for you! The good news is that when you make these cupcakes you will love them! The bad news is that you will love the cupcakes...but your thighs probably not. So I suggest that you make sure that there are other people near you who can help you eat these cupcakes, because your thighs will probably never forgive you if you eat them all by yourself....

But then again these cupcakes are worth it!

 

Recipe

Triple Chocolate Cupcakes

Yield: 16 cupcakes

Ingredients:

1/2 cup dutch-processed cocoa
1 cup boiling hot water
1 1/3 cup flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
a couple handfuls of chocolate chips

Chocolate Fudge Frosting:
120 gram (4 ounces) chocolate
2/3 cup butter
1 1/3 icing sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F).

In a small bowl stir until smooth the cocoa and the hot water. Let cool to room temperature.

In another bowl mix the flour, baking powder and salt.

Beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each egg until smooth.

Beat in the vanilla.

Add the flour mixture. Beat until just incorporated.

Add the cooled cocoa mixture. Stir until smooth. Add the chocolate chips and stir again.

Line a muffin tray with cupcake papers. Fill the papers 2/3 full. Bake for 16-20 minutes until a tooth pick comes out just clean.

Place the cupcakes on a wire rack to cool.

For the Chocolate Fudge Frosting:

Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or in the microwave. Let cool to room temperature.

Beat the butter until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute.

Add the icing sugar and beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.

Beat in the vanilla.

Add the melted chocolate and beat on low speed until incorporated. Increase speed to medium-high and beat until smooth and glossy, about 2-3 minutes.

With a piping bag and a star-shaped tip pipe the frosting on top of the cooled cupcakes. Store these cupcakes in the refrigerator.


And finally some pictures of the devouring of the cupcakes!