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Cupcakes: Classic Yellow Cupcakes with Chocolate Fudge Frosting

Source of Recipe

From "Small Batch Baking" by Saura Kline


Recipe Introduction

"My mom's favorite baked dessert is a classic yellow cupcake with chocolate fudge frosting. It's simple, delicious, and rich. Using only the egg yolks makes the cake more yellow — the chocolate fudge frosting being the perfect contrast. If you want a richer frosting, try using milk chocolate instead of semisweet chocolate chips. Milk chocolate is creamier, and top-quality chocolate makes a big difference."

List of Ingredients

For the cupcakes:
â—¦ ½ cup all-purpose flour
â—¦ ¼ teaspoon baking powder
â—¦ ¼ teaspoon baking soda
â—¦ â…› teaspoon salt
â—¦ 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
â—¦ ¼ cup granulated sugar
â—¦ 2 egg yolks
â—¦ 2 tablespoons sour cream
â—¦ 1 tablespoon milk

For the frosting:
â—¦ ¼ cup semisweet chocolate chips
â—¦ 10 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
â—¦ ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
â—¦ ½ cup powdered sugar, sifted
â—¦ Pinch salt
â—¦ ½ teaspoon vanilla extract


Recipe

Preheat the oven to 375° F. Line six cups of a muffin tin with cupcake liners.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter and sugar. Add the egg yolks to the sugar mixture and mix to combine. Then add the dry ingredients, sour cream, and finally the milk. Mix until the batter is very smooth.

Divide the batter evenly among the six cups, filling them about three-quarters of the way up. Bake the cupcakes for 12 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely to room temperature, about 30 minutes.

To make the frosting:
Put the chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl and heat it in the microwave in 30-second increments until it's fully melted. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a handheld electric mixer and a large bowl, combine the melted chocolate and butter. Mix until it's smooth, then add the cocoa powder, powdered sugar, salt, and vanilla. Keep mixing until the frosting is smooth. Scrape down the sides as needed. Transfer the frosting to a piping bag fitted with a piping tip of a zip-top bag with a bottom corner snipped off.

Pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes and serve immediately.


Makes 6 cupcakes



• Variation Tip:
Make a gluten-free version of this cupcake by substituting a gluten-free flour. I prefer to use the kind that already has xanthan gum in the mix, as it helps with binding.