Dark Chocolate Cupcakes
or a Three Layer Chocolate Cake

 

Decorations


Sprinkles

 

Cake Batter


1/2 cup Dutch-process cocoa (not black cocoa)

1 cup fat-free milk, warmed to 110

1 cup low-fat buttermilk or 1 cup water + 3 T buttermilk powder

1/2 cup corn oil or 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted

2 large eggs

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup dark brown sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

3/4 teaspoon salt


Dark Chocolate Frosting


1/4 cup unsalted butter

3/4 cup Ghirardelli® semisweet chocolate chips

1/3 cup cold fat-free milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

4 cups confectioners' sugar

1/4 cup Dutch-process black cocoa, sifted

1/4 cup Dutch-process cocoa, sifted (optional)

5 tablespoons whipping cream

 

 

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  

2.  Cake: In extra large bowl, use mixer on low to beat cocoa and warm milk. 

     Add buttermilk, oil, eggs, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla. 

     Beat 45 seconds.  

3.  Measure flour, baking soda and salt into sifter. Sift into chocolate liquid. 

     Beat 1 minute on medium. Use a 1/4 cup measuring cup to pour batter

     into 30 foil liners and then bake for 15 minutes or until tops pop back 

     when pressed.

4.  Frosting: Melt butter over low heat in 1-quart saucepan; remove from heat

     and mix in chocolate chips until melted. Pour into a medium bowl.  

     Beat in milk and vanilla. Beat in confectioners’ sugar, black cocoa 

     and second optional cocoa for a dark chocolate taste. 

     Beat in cream for 1 minute.   

5.  Frost cupcakes when completely cooled.

     Makes 30 cupcakes

 

©  Seasoned with Love - A copyright recipe

We would love to have you print this recipe for your own use.

 

 

 

Chocolate Cake
This is my idea of the perfect chocolate cake and it took me over four years to figure out this exact recipe. Adding some melted chocolate to the batter and using boiling water with the cocoa powder is essential for a rich chocolate taste. I use a mixture of semisweet and milk chocolate chips in the cake. This recipe will also make 30 cupcakes if you use a 1/4 cup to pour batter into foil liners and bake them for 15 minutes.

Decorations

    Edible flowers or rose petals for Valentine’s Day
    4 teaspoons warm water
    4 teaspoons dried egg whites
    Superfine sugar

Cake Batter

     1/2 cup Van Leer Dutch-process cocoa
     1 cup boiling water
     1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted in a saucepan
     1/3 cup chocolate chips, stir into butter until melted
     1 cup low-fat buttermilk

    
2 large eggs
     1 cup granulated sugar
    
1 cup muscovado brown sugar
     1 tablespoon vanilla extract
     2 cups all-purpose flour
     2 teaspoons baking soda
     3/4 teaspoon salt


Chocolate Frosting

     1/4 cup unsalted butter
     3/4 cup Ghirardelli
® semisweet chocolate chips
     1/3 cup cold fat-free milk
     1 teaspoon vanilla extract
     4 cups confectioners' sugar
     6 tablespoons Van Leer Dutch-process cocoa, sifted
     5 tablespoons whipping cream, adjust as needed

1.  Decorations: Mix water and egg whites. Apply this mixture      
     to pesticide-free flowers with an artist’s paint brush (found in
     art stores). Sprinkle flowers with sugar. Let the flowers dry on
     waxed paper overnight or up to two days.

2.  Preheat the oven to 350
.

3.  Cake: In a large bowl, use a mixer on low to beat cocoa and
     boiling water. Add the butter/chocolate mixture to the cocoa
     with the buttermilk, eggs, sugar, brown sugar and vanilla.

4.  Measure the flour, baking soda and salt into a sifter. Sift and
     add to chocolate liquid. Beat 1 minute on medium. Pour the
     batter into three 8-inch cake pans sprayed with nonstick
     spray. Bake in preheated oven 30 minutes. Wash beaters.

5.  Frosting: Melt butter over low heat in a 1-quart saucepan.   
     Remove from heat and mix in chocolate chips until melted.
     Pour into a medium bowl. Beat in milk and vanilla. Beat in
     confectioners’ sugar and cocoa. Beat in cream until fluffy.

6.  Assembling: Place one completely cooled cake layer on a   
    plate, top with icing. Add second layer and more icing. Add
     last cake layer and remainder of icing. Decorate with flowers.
     For cupcakes, a small sugar flower is cute on each one.
    

     Makes 20 slices or 30 cupcakes.