DARK CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES

MAKES 12 CUPCAKES OR ONE 2-LAYER 9-INCH CAKE

Charles’s mom, Lynda, and I share a passion for this particular Sprinkles cupcake. Any time we are together, our Sprinkles boxes are heavy on the dark chocolate—neither one of us wants to be the one to disappoint the other by taking the last one! Although I have had infatuations with each Sprinkles flavor for periods of time, Lynda is a loyalist and has never once strayed. Her standing order is known by our cupcake associates from Beverly Hills to Scottsdale to New York. This cupcake’s deep chocolate flavor is thanks to a heavy dose of cocoa; the velvety texture comes from the buttermilk, as well as an always-light hand when mixing the batter and baking the final product. Chocolate on chocolate is always a classic and some things, like Lynda’s order, never change!

1 cup all-purpose flour

⅔ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

¾ teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon fine sea salt

⅔ cup buttermilk, shaken

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

10 tablespoons (1 ¼ sticks) unsalted butter, slightly softened

⅔ cup sugar

⅓ cup lightly packed light brown sugar

2 large eggs

Dark Chocolate Frosting

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cup cupcake pan with paper liners.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a small bowl, stir together the buttermilk and vanilla.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and both sugars on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce the speed to medium-low, add the eggs one at a time, and beat until creamy, 1 to 2 minutes. Slowly add half the flour mixture, then the buttermilk mixture, then the remaining flour mixture, beating until just blended after each addition.

Divide the batter evenly among the liners and bake until the tops are just dry to the touch and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and cool completely before frosting with dark chocolate frosting.

DARK CHOCOLATE FROSTING

MAKES 2 CUPS

¾ cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, slightly softened

⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt

2 ½ cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted

¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled to room temperature

2 tablespoons whole milk, if necessary

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and salt on medium speed until fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes. Gradually add the confectioners’ sugar and beat until smooth, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the vanilla and melted chocolate and beat until just incorporated, being careful not to incorporate too much air into the frosting. Add milk 1 tablespoon at a time, if needed, to achieve a spreadable consistency.

WORKING WITH FONDANT

Sprinkles Cupcakes are known worldwide for their signature modern dot decorations, a contemporary play on a traditional “sprinkle.” Our modern dot is made of one smaller dot inside a larger dot in two different hues.

It’s simple to make your own signature edible shapes for your cupcakes at home with fondant, the pliable and eminently versatile decorating material I like to think of as the pastry world’s edible Play-Doh. Though colored fondants are available, I recommend purchasing white fondant and coloring it with food coloring gels so you can play with various shades. Start with a ball of fondant about half the size of your fist, then add a couple drops of coloring gel to the center and begin kneading it in. Kneading helps distribute the color, but also warms the fondant into a workable consistency. You will see the fondant take on color quickly; add more color, a drop or two at a time. Once you achieve your desired hue, use a fondant rolling pin (typically small and plastic) to roll it out to about ⅛ inch thick. It is helpful to roll on a Silpat (a nonstick silicone mat) or to sprinkle a dash of confectioners’ sugar on the fondant to avoid sticking. Now for the best part! Use tiny fondant cutters or cookie cutters to create fun shapes. Don’t limit yourself to 2-D shapes; fondant can be hand molded into virtually any shape. One of my favorites: creating roses by rolling thin, folded strips of pink fondant into tiny buds!

* To bake as a cake, see the box here.