Devil’s Food Cupcakes

Have I told you lately how much I love…chocolate?  Because I do, I love chocolate with a most unholy passion.  So I guess it makes sense that I would probably eat my cat if it meant I could have a piece of devil’s food cake for after.  Luckily, things are not quite so dire because I can whip up cake anytime I want as long as my chocolate supplies are topped up, and as such, Stewie is safe.  For now.

I decided to make devil’s food cupcakes because it’s an easy way to keep track of portions (ha), share with friends if I feel like being generous, and freeze leftovers (HA!) for future snacking.

I greatly dislike really delicate cupcakes that fall apart at a stern glance, so my ideal Satan-worthy cupcake is deep, dark, and sturdy with a medium crumb and buttery moistness.  I also dislike cupcakes with sickly-sweet frosting; I want a creamy vanilla buttercream to cap my creation.  This cupcake should be rich enough that you’ll only want one, thereby leaving the rest for me!

I started off by sifting the dry ingredients together according to my recipe, but I discovered this method creates that delicate airiness that I don’t like in cupcakes, so I scratched it and on my second try, I just dumped in the dry ingredients and briefly whisked it before adding my wet ingredients.

Speaking of wet ingredients, did you know that if you bloom cocoa powder in boiling water, it deepens and intensifies the chocolate flavor?  Oh yes it does.  Do it and tell me you don’t like the resulting cake.  Go on, I dare you!  It’s never failed me in the years I’ve been doing it (that sounds kind of illegal).  Unless you don’t like deep dark chocolate cake.  Which is okay because that means more cake for me!

EDIT: The Feisty Foodie’s comment reminded me that I never explained what it means to bloom cocoa, so here’s my quick and dirty explanation.

When cocoa powder is made, enzymes that normally contribute flavor get deactivated during processing (where most of the fats are removed). Blooming cocoa powder in hot liquid, typically boiling water, reactivates and releases the deeper flavors of the cocoa.  I compare it to making instant hot chocolate (shudder).  It’s not meant to be used in recipes that don’t have a lot of wet ingredients, like cookies, where you would use melted chocolate, not bloomed cocoa.  Also, please note that bloomed cocoa is NOT the same as bloomed chocolate; chocolate is the solid stuff you get in bricks, bars, and chips, which still contain their cocoa butter.  Bloomed chocolate has a white cast on the surface, which indicates the fat has risen to the surface of the chocolate.  It’s still fine to eat out of hand, but I wouldn’t bake with it.

Above: normal chocolate (left); bloomed chocolate (right)  Photo courtesy of Slashfood.com

Look how chocolatey they are!

Now on to the frosting!  I mentioned that I like buttercream.   And you already know from reading about my black & white cookies that I hate fondant, so you also know I wouldn’t use that on these fabulous cupcakes.  The problem is that a lot of buttercreams are either too sweet or grainy or both.  Or they contain vegetable shortening.  Blech.

The finished product- look at that dark chocolate!

Please don’t judge the weird frosting; I used this opportunity to practice my piping skills.  Or lack thereof.  Do focus on the glossiness of the frosting, however.

Verdict?  Deep chocolate flavor with a frosting that’s sweet but not stupid-sweet, full of vanilla flavor and smooth texture.  WIN!

Devils’ Food Cupcakes

4 oz unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1/3 cup  Dutch-processed cocoa
1 1/4 cups boiling water
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 cup plain cake flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened but still cool
1 1/2 cups packed dark brown sugar
3 large eggs, room temperature
1/3 cup sour cream
1 tsp vanilla extract

Adjust oven racks to upper and lower middle positions; heat oven to 350 degrees. Meanwhile, line standard muffin pan (the cups each hold 1/2 cup of batter) with cupcake liners. Combine chocolate and cocoa in medium bowl; pour boiling water over and whisk until smooth. In a medium bowl, briefly whisk together flours, baking soda and salt; set aside.

Beat the butter in the bowl of a standing mixer at medium-high speed until creamy, about 1 minute. Add the brown sugar and beat at high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Stop the mixer and scrape down the bowl with a rubber spatula. With the mixer at medium-high speed, add the eggs, one at a time, beating 30 seconds after each addition. Reduce the speed to medium; add the sour cream and vanilla and beat until combined, about 10 seconds. Stop the mixer and scrape down the bowl. With the mixer at low speed, add about a third of the flour mixture, followed by about half the chocolate mixture. Repeat, ending with the flour mixture; beat until just combined, about 15 seconds. Do not over beat. Remove the bowl from the mixer; scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula and stir gently to thoroughly combine.

Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups and smooth the batter with a spatula. Place pans in the oven one, on each rack.  Stagger them so they’re not directly above/below each other.  Bake until a toothpick or skewer inserted in the center comes out clean, 10-15 minutes. Cool the cakes on wire racks 15-20 minutes before turning out onto the racks. Cool completely.  Frost as desired.

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

10 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 1/4 cups confectioners’ sugar
Pinch table salt
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons heavy cream

In standing mixer fitted with whisk attachment, beat butter at medium-high speed until smooth, about 20 seconds.  Add confectioners’ sugar and salt; beat at medium-low speed until most of the sugar is moistened, about 45 seconds. Scrape down bowl and beat at medium speed until mixture is fully combined, about 15 seconds; scrape bowl, add vanilla and heavy cream, and beat at medium speed until incorporated, about 10 seconds, then increase speed to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes, scraping down bowl once or twice.