Friday, July 24, 2009

Dark Chocolate Cupcakes with Easy Cheater's Cream Cheese Frosting



Chocolate Cupcakes! Yeah, yeah, yeah. At my office we have had a killer work week. What could be more rewarding for surviving to Friday, then Chocolate Cupcakes with Cream cheese cheater frosting? From a bakers perspective cupcakes are a wonderful treat, because they basically a muffin recipe and they bake in 20 minutes. You can’t beat it. And, as ridiculous as it sounds, it is really fun to do by hand, you need three bowls and a whisk, but it is super easy and delicious. I love the silky shiny chocolate as it comes together with the butter. I love how the swirl of sour cream submits to the sublime darkness of the chocolate. It is such a pleasure to take something simple and make it by hand with good quality ingredients. The results delicious and the satisfaction is unjustifiable enjoyable as well.

1 stick of buttah, cut up to melt more easily
2 oz or two of those squares of dark chocolate
½ cup of cocoa
¾ cup of all purpose flour
½ teaspoon of baking soda
¾ teaspoon of baking powder
2 large eggs
¾ cup of sugar
1 teaspoon of good quality real vanilla extract
½ teaspoon of table salt
½ cup of sour cream (I just love sour cream in cakes)

Preheat your oven to 375 F
Over a double boiler melt the chocolate and butter, stir in the cocoa. You don’t really need a double boiler just a pan with water and bowl that fits over top. Whisk until smooth and let it cool to body temperature while you prepare the other ingredients.
In a separate bowl whisk (bowl #2) in the next 3 ingredients, flour, baking soda, baking powder.
In a third bowl (bowl numero tres) whisk together the eggs, sugar, vanilla, salt
Into the large chocolate bowl, add wet egg bowl and the dry flour bowl. Last but not least stir in sour cream.
Spoon into muffin tin with cupey cake holders and let bake for 20 minutes.

Dark Chocolate Delicioso. I added cheater's cream cheese frosting which is a stick of butter, a package of cream cheese, and 2 cups of powdered sugar whipped together. It is delicious and sooooo easy. The easy part is why I call it cheater's frosting.

Please enjoy.

Happy baking, much love, and many blessings.