Chocolate Cupcakes

Chocolate cupcakes with chocolate buttercream

Chocolate Cupcake with
Chocolate Buttercream

It’s been all about the chocolate lately. First I experimented with chocolate fondant, now I baked some chocolate cupcakes, and this weekend I’m planning to make a Mother’s Day chocolate cake too.

So to celebrate all this chocolate baking, here’s a tip for baking with chocolate.

How to melt chocolate:

Be sure to use a double boiler, or bain-marie. It’s easy to make one of your own. All you need is a saucepan, and heat proof bowl. The bowl must fit into the saucepan without touching the bottom. Chop the chocolate to be melted into small pieces, and place it in a heat proof bowl. Allow a little water to simmer in the saucepan, and then place the bowl of chocolate over the heat. Keep mixing the chocolate until all is melted. This method will allow the chocolate to be gently heated, and won’t affect the chocolate’s appearance and texture.

Try out the Chocolate Fondant recipe with melted chocolate. Or keep it simple with the Chocolate Cupcakes below.

Happy baking and I hope you enjoy your chocolate treats! 

Chocolate Cupcakes

Makes 12 cupcakes

Adapted from: Recipes from the Royal Kitchen compiled by Heilie Pienaar

INGREDIENTS:

60 g butter, at room temperature

¼ cup castor sugar

1 large egg

1¼ cup cake flour, sifted

¼ cup cocoa powder, sifted

1½ teaspoons baking powder, sifted

¾ cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla essence

DIRECTIONS:

1.       Preheat the oven to 180°C and line a 12 hole muffin tin with cupcake liners.

2.       Cream together the butter and sugar until pale.

3.       Beat in the egg.

4.       Mix in the vanilla essence.

5.       Fold in the flour, cocoa and baking powder, while alternating with the milk, until incorporated.

6.       Spoon the batter into the liners. Fill till about ²/₃ full.

7.       Bake for 15 minutes at 180°C.

8.       Remove from the oven and test for doneness; a toothpick comes out clean once inserted.

9.       Allow the cupcakes to cool, and then pipe the chocolate buttercream as desired.

There are so many ways to decorate your cupcakes. Get creative! I used different sprinkles and some chocolate balls. So much fun!

Decorated Chocolate Cupcakes

Chocolate Fondant

Rich mini chocolate cakes, with a gooey centre

Makes 6 fondants

Chocolate Fondant
Served with Vanilla Ice Cream

These warm, soft, little chocolate cakes are the perfect dessert. Make them for your dinner party and they will be a hit! They are also fairly simple to make. Just make sure to keep a close eye on them once they’re in the oven.

I came across the most delicious chocolate fondants at one of my favourite restaurants in Cape Town; El Burro in Green Point. The combination of ice cream and warm chocolate is the best way to end off a meal.

Since I’m in Johannesburg now, quite a distance from those yummy El Burro chocolate fondants, I decided to make some of my own. I served mine with some vanilla ice cream too! This weekend, why don’t you give them a try? Here’s how to make your own warm chocolate desserts.

INGREDIENTS:

140 g good quality dark chocolate

100 g butter

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla essence

50 g castor sugar

50 g flour

2 teaspoons cocoa powder

½ teaspoon baking powder

DIRECTIONS:

1.       Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease and flour 6 ramekins.

2.       In a double boiler, gently melt the chocolate. Add the butter and stir until the mixture is smooth. Remove the mixture form the heat.

3.       Whisk together the eggs and sugar until light and creamy. Add in the vanilla essence.

4.       Whisk in a spoonful of the melted chocolate mixture into the egg mixture. This will temper the eggs.

5.       Whisk in the rest of the chocolate mixture.

6.       Sift in the flour, cocoa powder and baking powder. Gently fold until incorporated.

7.       Divide the mixture between the 6 ramekins.

8.       Allow the filled ramekins to chill in the fridge for at least an hour.

9.       Remove the ramekins from the fridge and bake for 12 to 15 minutes.

10.    Run a knife around the edge of each ramekin to loosen the cakes. Turn out onto plates and serve with vanilla ice cream.