chocolate espresso cupcakes

When I read this recipe for the first time, I was pretty sure it was not going to work.

Why?

Well, mostly because instead of the usual creaming (of the butter and sugar) method, this recipe is sort of reversed. It calls for the sugar and egg to be beaten until fluffy before the rest of the ingredients were added.

Now, thus far, I had not had much luck with cakes made in this way. I seemed to end up with hard and lumpy cakes.

The thing about bakers, though, is that many of us simply don't like giving up. So since we are cooking and baking from Paula Deen and the Deen Brothers this month, I thought I would give it a go and bake these cupcakes.

I halved the recipe and made 12 cupcakes. Then I frosted them, took photographs and once that was done, I thought I'd try one cupcake.

My helper walked past as I bit into the cupcake and she burst out laughing when I went HMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM.

It was truly an Oh-My-God moment.

The cupcake was SO MOIST, with a slight bitterness from the chocolate, I had to ask my helper to try one too.

And she too, went HMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM.

Please! If you are going to bake something in the near future, go bake these cupcakes!

Here's how.

Into a saucepan, I added cocoa powder, chocolate, instant coffee powder and butter.

I cooked this over low heat, stirring constantly until the chocolate had melted and I had a smooth mixture.

This was then set aside to cool.

Into the bowl of my mixture, I added sugar and eggs. I beat this until the mixture was light and fluffy. THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT! You must reach this stage before the other ingredients can be added.

Then I added the flour in two additions, and mixed to combine.

The chocolate/ butter mixture was added, and mixed. Then finally I added the sour cream and mixed until I had an even mixture.

The batter was ladled into cupcake liners.

They were baked. And cooled.

At this stage, they looked pretty ordinary.

So I made some Swiss Meringue Buttercream, and frosted them.

I can go on and on about how delicious this cupcake is, but really, just go make them.

#howcananythingbesogood

A giveaway!

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To take part, click on the picture above!

RECIPE
Chocolate Espresso Cupcakes (Makes 24)
Adapted from Paula Deen

Note: I halved the recipe and made 12 cupcakes

Ingredients:
1 cup (225g) butter
3/4 cup (87.2g) unsweetened cocoa powder - I used Valrhona
One 4-ounce (120g) bittersweet chocolate baking bar, chopped - I used chocolate buttons
2 teaspoons instant espresso powder - I used instant coffee powder
1 1/2 (337.5g)cups sugar - I cut the amount of sugar by 25%
4 large eggs
1 3/4 cups (218g) plain flour, sifted
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup (225g) sour cream
24 chocolate covered espresso beans, for garnish, optional - I omitted this

Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (176.6°C). Line 24 muffin cups with paper liners.
2. In a medium saucepan, combine the butter, cocoa powder, chocolate and espresso powder. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until the chocolate melts and the mixture is smooth. Let cool for 20 minutes.
3. In a large bowl, beat the sugar and eggs at medium-high speed with a mixer until fluffy.
4. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Gradually add to the sugar mixture, beating until combined. Add the chocolate mixture, stirring until smooth. Stir in the sour cream.
5. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups. Bake until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean, 12 to 14 minutes. Let cool in the pans for 10 minutes. Remove from the pans and cool completely on wire racks.
6. Pipe or spread frosting over each cupcake. Top with a chocolate covered espresso beans if desired.

This post is linked to Cook like a Star, Paula Deen and the Deen Brothers organised by me the Domestic Goddess Wannabe, Joyce from Kitchen Flavours and Zoe from Bake for Happy Kids.

Want to cook or bake like Paula Deen or the Deen Brothers? To join, simply cook or bake any recipe from their websites or cookbooks and link with us at this (Joyce's), this (Zoe's) or this (Diana's), post for the whole of June 2014.

To use this linky tool, please make sure that:
(1) Your post is posted in June 2014.
(2) Please mention Cook like a Star in your post and link back to us at Diana from Domestic Goddess Wannabe, Zoe from Bake for Happy Kids and Joyce from Kitchen Flavours.

For more details, please see this.

I am also linking this post to Little Thumbs Up, hosted by Zoe of Bake For Happy Kids, Doreen of My Little Favourite DIY, and Jozelyn of Spice Up My Kitchen.