I seem to be on a Easter cupcake roll this year! First I made pink ombre cupcakes for the BFC Easter party, and then this past weekend I made chocolate cupcakes as a post Easter dinner treat.
I adapted this recipe from a cake recipe that has been eaten and enjoyed by my family for years – it is the cake that makes birthdays complete and occasions really feel like a celebration. I was originally going to make the cupcakes for a friend’s birthday, but ran out of time before the party (she had a cake though don’t worry!) and so the ingredients I bought wouldn’t go to waste, they became Easter cupcakes instead (since there’s usually a lack of chocolate at Easter and all…)
Both the cake part and the icing are made from scratch, so this was no easy feat, luckily I made sure my mum (the baker of almost all cakes previous) was on hand to help put out any fires that arose (figuratively thank goodness). It turns out that I’m a messy baker, especially when baking from scratch in a small kitchen, and in the interest of not completely ruining my phone or camera there aren’t really any pictures of the baking process. To make up for it, I shall share my most favourite chocolate cake (and now cupcake) recipe with you all.
Chocolate Buttermilk Layer Cake
Bake at 350 F (180 C)
35 minutes to make one 9 inch layer cake
18-22 minutes to make cupcakes (this recipe makes about 32 cupcakes when I did it so I imagine you can to half it!)
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (sifted)
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup buttermilk (or yogurt – if neither is available, then you can add milk to 1 tbsp vinegar to make 1 cup; let stand for 10 mins)
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 1/4 cups sugar
- 3 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 cup boiling water
Grease two 9 x 1 .5 inch round layer pans; line with wax paper. Grease wax paper and dust with flour; tap out excess flour.
(For cupcakes, cupcake liners work just fine)
Sift flour, baking soda and salt in to a bowl.
Combine oil, buttermilk, cocoa, sugar, eggs and vanilla in a large bowl and mix well.
On a low speed with electric mixer, or by hand, add flour mixture to cocoa mixture, alternating with boiling water beginning and ending with the dry mixture (aim for at least 5 alternations according to my mum) do not over-beat. Batter with be thick. Divide batter evenly between pans.
Bake for times outlined above, or until (cup)cakes spring back when lightly touched with your fingertip.
Cool (cup)cakes in pan for 10 minutes. Loosen around edges, turn out, and peel off wax paper (if necessary). Cool completely. Fill and frost with rich chocolate frosting
Frosting
- 1 package (6 ounces) semi-sweet chocolate pieces
- 1/2 cup evaporated milk (though, you can use normal and it will taste just as good)
- 3/4 cup butter
- 2 1/2 cups icing sugar
Place chocolate pieces, milk and butter in top of double boiler. Place over hot water, stirring until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth.
Whisk in icing sugar. Place double boiler top in a bowl filled with ice cubes and water (if you don’t do this, it will take about 15 – 20 minutes of beating to get the icing to the right consistency). Beat with an electric mixer until mixture lightens in colour, begins to lose its sheen and is of good spreading consistency. Don’t give up as your beating – the lightening takes 5 to 10 minutes and is well worth the effort!
Tags: baked from scratch, chocolate cupcakes, Easter
