Cocoa Cupcakes

One part bon appetit ....One part Ina Garten ...I can never stick to one recipe because I tend to be inspired by multiple recipes and then I always end up using pieces of each.  These cupcakes turned out amazing. Light fluffy chocolate cake topped with rich chocolate frosting. The key to the cupcakes was using cake flour which has the least amount of gluten in all wheat flours and makes for light, delicate textured cake. 

Cocoa Cupcakes

yields 24 cupcakes

Ingredients:

1/2 c natural unsweetened cocoa powder

1 c lukewarm water, divided

1/2 c buttermilk

1 1/2 c cake flour

3/4 t baking soda

1 c sugar 

1/2 c (packed) golden brown sugar 

1/2 c unsalted butter, room temperature

2 large eggs

Method:

1. preheat oven to 350

2. whisk cocoa and 1/2 c water in a bowl

3. whisk buttermilk and 1/2 c water in another bowl

4. sift flour, baking soda, and 1/4 t salt into a third bowl 

5.  using an electric mixer, beat both sugars and butter until pale, yellow, and fluffy 

6. add eggs into the mixer. add cocoa powder. add flour mixture slowly. add buttermilk mixture.

7.  fill cupcake liners 3/4

8. pop into oven for 18 minutes-ish (a toothpick should come out clean)

9. cool completely and frost 

Chocolate Frosting

frosts 24 cupcakes

Ingredients:

6 oz semisweet chocolate

1/2 lb unsalted butter, room temperature

1 large egg yolk

1 t vanilla extract

1 c plus 1 T confectioner's sugar, sifted 

1 T instant coffee granules 

Method

1. heat chocolate in microwave in 30-second intervals until it is melted and set aside to cool

2. in an electric mixer, beat the butter at medium speed until fluffy

3. add the egg yolk and vanilla and at low speed, add in sugar

5. dissolve instant coffee in 2 teaspoons of hot water and then add

6. add cooled chocolate 

7. mix thoroughly