Chocolate Cupcakes recipe from Paris Cutler

with additional notes from Tina

Ingredients

  • 1 1/3 cups plain flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • ¼ tsp baking soda
  • ¾ cup cocoa powder
  • Pinch of salt
  • 60g butter (or, 4T = 1/2c), unsalted and softened to room temperature
  • 1½ cups caster sugar (see note below)
  • 2 medium or large eggs
  • ¾ tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 cup whole milk

Method

  1. Preheat conventional oven to 180C, or fan-forced oven to 1700C (= 355F)
  2. Line cupcake tin with patty pans (aka cupcake liners)
  3. Sift together the plain flour, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa powder and salt.
  4. In a bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
  5. Add the eggs one by one, beating well with each addition, then stir in the vanilla.
  6. Add the flour mixture alternatively with milk. Mix well.
  7. Fill each cupcake liner no more than 2/3 full.
  8. Bake cupcakes for 20 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean.
  9. Eat plain, or decorate with your favourite frosting once the cupcakes cool. Another idea is to drizzle the cupcakes with melted chocolate, and then sprinkle with pecans or walnuts before serving. I use Lindt Hot Chocolate Flakes (Dark). I put about a half cup of the flakes in a glass creamer, which has a pouring lip, stir in a splash of hot water, then melt it in the microwave before drizzling it over the cakes.
  10. Makes 18-20 cakes.

     

    Note: caster sugar is superfine sugar, and is often called baking sugar in the U.S. It is much finer than regular granulated sugar, but you can buy granulated sugar and blend it in your food processor to make it fine. Do not substitute powdered sugar or icing sugar, though.