I guess from my pictures this isn’t going to be a very Christmasy/holiday post. Somehow, this time of year can end up being less about the holidays themselves and more about getting things done. I think, though, that part of what makes this time of year special is being able to spend it with friends and loved ones and sharing something (whether it’s something like a sweater, quality time, or cookies(!)) with them. In the spirit of sharing and spending quality time with friends, I had the privilege of attending and baking for a December baby shower for a good friend (and her husband), who are, during this season of anticipation, looking forward to the coming of a baby girl.

This recipe isn’t from a famous chef or anything, but it’s tried and true from America’s Test Kitchen–so the recipe is sure to produce a great cupcake (I love ATK! They are so thorough and their tips really work). It’s really a recipe for a chocolate layer cake, but instead of filling cake pans, I filled cupcake tins and adjusted baking time. I used Guittard Cocoa Rouge, which coupled with coffee powder, makes for a richer and more complex flavor. ATK suggests non-alkalized cocoa powder if you like a redder color, but I personally prefer Dutch-processed, which is darker and more chocolatey and keeps the crumb moist. For the chocolate frosting, I don’t like to use corn syrup so I omit that and use a little more heavy cream. The corn syrup will give it a nice sheen, though, so it will have a nice professional touch. To give it a holiday touch, add a little peppermint oil to the frosting (instead of the vanilla), and you’ll be ready to jingle and mingle. For a sure-to-please treat, these cupcakes are a great go-to recipe. (Though please excuse these terrible photos–I forgot my camera and took them with my iPhone. Some people are great with iPhone photos, but the funny thing is that I don’t think I know how to take pictures with my iPhone but I can use a dSLR.)

{Old-Fashioned Chocolate Cupcakes}

Ingredients

- 6-1/4 oz. (1-1/4 cup) unbleached all-purpose flour
- 6 oz. (1-1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, cool but soft
- 8-3/4 oz. (1-1/4 cup) sugar
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1/2 t. baking soda
- 1/2 t. salt
- 1-1/2 oz (1/2 cup) cocoa powder, sifted
- 2 t. espresso or coffee powder
- 1 cup + 2T. whole milk, at room temperature
- 2 t. vanilla extract

Chocolate Frosting

16 oz. semisweet chocolate (chopped)
1-1/2 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup light corn syrup
1 t. vanilla extract

Preparation

1. Line cupcake tins and preheat oven to 350F.
2. In a bowl, sift together dry ingredients except sugar (flour, baking soda, cocoa powder, coffee powder).
3. In a bowl of a stand mixer, using a paddle attachment, cream butter until soft and smooth. Add sugar and continue to cream together on medium until the color lightens and the mixture is fluffy, about 5 minutes.
4. Add eggs to the butter mixture, one at a time (wait until the first one is incorporated before adding the 2nd egg).
5. Combine milk and vanilla in measuring cup.
6. On low speed, alternate adding the dry ingredients with the milk, in three additions of each, beginning with adding the dry ingredients. Be careful not to overmix.
7. Scrape sides of the bowl down and mix again for a few seconds.
8. Divide batter among the cupcake tins and bake on the middle rack for about 20 minutes or until a cake tester comes out almost clean.
9. Remove from the oven, allow to cool in the tin for about 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.

Frosting

Place chocolate in a heatproof bowl.
Bring heavy cream to a simmer over medium heat.
Pour hot cream over the chocolate, add the corn syrup (if using), and allow to rest for about 3-5 minutes (I sometimes cover the bowl as well).
Stir gently with a wire whisk, mixing in the vanilla, until smooth. You can use while warm or allow to rest until it reaches spreadable consistency. (ATK suggests refrigerating 1 to 1-1/2 hours, stirring every 15 minutes.)
Spread on completely cooled cupcakes.