MAKES 12 CUPCAKES
Store leftover cupcakes (frosted or unfrosted) in the refrigerator, but let them come to room temperature before serving.
8 |
tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces |
2 |
ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped |
½ |
cup cocoa powder, preferably Dutch-processed |
¾ |
cup (3¾ ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour |
¾ |
teaspoon baking powder |
½ |
teaspoon baking soda |
2 |
large eggs, at room temperature |
¾ |
cup (5¼ ounces) sugar |
1 |
teaspoon vanilla extract |
½ |
teaspoon table salt |
½ |
cup sour cream |
1 |
recipe Easy Vanilla Bean Buttercream, Easy Chocolate Buttercream, or Easy Coffee Buttercream (recipes follow) |
1. Adjust an oven rack to the lower-middle position and heat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a standard-size muffin pan with baking cup liners.
2. Melt the butter, chocolate, and cocoa in a medium heatproof bowl set over a saucepan filled with 1 inch of barely simmering water, stirring occasionally. Set aside to cool until just warm to the touch.
3. Whisk the flour, baking powder, and baking soda in a small bowl to combine.
4. Whisk the eggs in a medium bowl to combine; add the sugar, vanilla, and salt and whisk until fully incorporated. Add the cooled chocolate mixture and whisk until combined. Sift about one-third of the flour mixture over the chocolate mixture and whisk until combined; whisk in the sour cream until combined, then sift the remaining flour mixture over the batter and whisk until homogeneous and thick.
5. Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups. Bake until a toothpick or wooden skewer inserted into the center of the cupcakes comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through the baking time.
6. Cool the cupcakes in the pan on a wire rack until cool enough to handle, about 15 minutes. Carefully lift each cupcake from the muffin pan and set on a wire rack. Cool to room temperature before icing, about 30 minutes. To frost: Mound about 2 tablespoons of icing on the center of each cupcake. Using a small spatula or butter knife, spread the icing to the edge of the cupcake, leaving a slight mound in the center.