Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Frosting

I've learned my lesson. I now share cupcakes. The last time I made cupcakes and blogged about it, I received a friendly scolding from Patti on the virtues of sharing such delectables treats with the neighbors (namely her and her husband, Patrick). I know! Patti and Pat! It kills me too.

I adore home made cupcakes; can't get enough of them; could eat them for every meal. I always love sharing my food with others but there's something about cupcakes that makes me a little selfish. Every tiny morsel brings back grade school memories when all the moms would bring cupcakes to school to celebrate their child's birthday. I greatly disliked my ugly little plaid uniform, knee high socks, and blue velcro tennies that I was forced to wear 5 days a week but lived for those birthdays and other school parties. Those moms, especially my own, were darn good bakers.

I decided to make chocolate. Having recently tasted chocolate cupcakes from the "hot" local bakery, I decided to make my own. I didn't think the ones I tried were all that -- they looked good but didn't taste like chocolate, kind of like a really attractive person with no personality. This recipe is kind of annoying with the whole X cup + Y T bit but you do what you have to do to get a good cupcake. You bring it! This recipe was great. Light, fluffy, moist, and chocolate-y. I loved the use of melted chocolate rather than cocoa powder.

This recipe is by Nancy Kux of Nancy's Fancies which was written up in the SF Chronicle.

Ingredients
-1 1/2 ounces bittersweet chocolate (use Pound Plus from Trader Joe's; inexpensive, high quality)
-1 cup +2 T cake flour
-3/4 tsp baking soda
-1/8 tsp salt
-2 1/2 ounces unsalted butter, at room temp.
-3/4 cup + 2 T sugar
-1/2 tsp vanilla
-1 large egg, at room temp.
-1/2 + 2 T water
-chocolate frosting (see July 2007 entries)

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper cupcake liners.

Melt the chocolate in a double boiler over warm water. Set aside to cool slightly.

Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt.

Using an electric mixer, beat butter with sugar for about 2 minutes, until fluffy. Add vanilla and egg. Beat on high speed for 4-5 minutes, scraping down sides of bowl from time to time. Slowly pour chocolate into butter mixture, beating on medium speed until fully incorporated.

Add the dry ingredients alternating with the water in 3 additions, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients, and scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition. Mix until fully combined. Spoon the batter into the cupcake liners, filling each about three-quarters full.

Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the top of the muffins springs back when lightly touched in the center, and a wooden toothpick inserted in the cakes comes out free of uncooked batter.

Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for 5 to 10 minutes before transferring them to wire racks to cool completely.

Yields 12 cupcakes.