Chocolate Butter Cupcakes

This week the Heavenly Cake Bakers baking project was Chocolate Cupcakes. I love individual sized portions and I love cupcakes so I was happy to partake. Rose describes these as velvetly, moist and deeply chocolatly. The only thing she left out was: quick and easy. With the heat and humidity this past week the quick and easy part was whole-heartedly appreciated.

I usually mise en place the dry ingredients a day or two before I plan on baking, then seal it in an airtight container or zip lock bag. The butter and eggs come out the morning of, to achieve room temperature. Then the wet ingredients are combined just before I start.

The chocolate butter cupcake batter is made with cocoa combined with boiling water. I was very happy to use cocoa again since I find it not as chocolately as the chunks of semisweet or bittersweet chocolate are . Not to mention I am totally out of quality chocolate and shy away from purchasing a fresh supply during the summer months.

Ok, back to the matter or batter at hand. The liquid ingredients; eggs, water and vanilla ar combined and set aside. The dry ingredients which were cake flour, superfine sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt are mixed in the bowl of the mixer. The butter and the chocolate mixture is added and mixed on low speed until the dry ingredients are moistened. After scrapping down the sides the wet ingredients are added in two parts, mixing only until blended (about 30 seconds).

At this point I decided to make small or mini cupcakes. It is easier on the waistline and much easier to share. To finish these little cakes off I used a butter cream frosting and gave it a little green tint to match the liners. Cute, huh?!

These little cakes were just delicious, the fine choclate crumb were tasty and moist, as promised. The buttercream melts in your mouth making every bite of these little cakes simply "heavenly"!

What is your favorite topping?