Chocolate Cupcakes 巧克力杯子蛋糕

It has been quite a while I didn't bake cupcake... 😉 

Today I baked this chocolate cupcake which is moist, fudgey and fluffy. I topped it with chocolate Swiss meringue buttercream and sprinkle some cocoa powder.

The Swiss Meringue Buttercream frosting is lighter in sweetness compared to traditional buttercream which makes the cake really shine with intense chocolate flavor. My youngest son Liked it!😊 

The frosting flavor is completely up to you. You may eat the cupcake with or without frosting, both equally yummy!

*You’ll notice when you make the cupcakes that the batter is very thin. Don't worry, it’s supposed to be that way.
*This recipe is a versatile one, so use it for cake or cupcake alike (increased baking time for cake) For making an 8-inch cake, bake it  about 40-45mins at 180C.

Ingredients:
Chocolate Cupcakes:Yield 15 pcs +/-
¼ cup (60g) sour cream   ( I used Plain Yogurt)
½ cup (120ml) buttermilk 
2  medium eggs
⅓ cup (80ml)veggie oil 
¼ cup (60ml)hot coffee 
2 tsp (10ml) vanilla extract 
1 ½ cups(180g) all-purpose flour 
1 ⅓ cup (265g) granulated sugar (I used 200g)
¼ cup (20g) cocoa powder 
1 tsp(6g) baking soda 
½ tsp (2.5g)kosher salt 

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F/180C. Add papers to a cupcake tin.
2. Sift the dry ingredients (including the sugar) into the bowl of a stand mixer and whisk to combine.
3. Add the sour cream, buttermilk, eggs, and veggie oil into a large bowl and whisk together. Pour the hot coffee in while you whisk and set aside.
4. Add the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.
5. Whisk until smooth and combined.
6. Pour the batter into the lined cupcake tins, filling them about three-fourths full. 
7. Bake for about 15 -20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool.
8. Piping frosting onto completely cooled cupcakes.

Chocolate Swiss Meringue Buttercream:

5   egg whites, room temperature

1 1/2 cups sugar
450g unsalted butter, room temperature 
1  tsp  vanilla extract 5mL
1/2  tsp  kosher salt 2g
1/2 cup bittersweet chocolate melted and cooled

Instructions:

1. Add egg whites, sugar and salt in a bowl. Give the mixture a brief whisk. 
2. Place the bowl over a pan of simmering water. Make sure the water does not touch the bowl. Whisk the egg whites occasionally while it warms up. When the mixture has warmed, whisk it constantly. You will heat the mixture until it reaches an internal temperature of 160ºF or until it's not grainy between your fingers. 
3. Transfer the bowl to a stand mixer, mix with a whisk attachment until you get room temperature glossy peaks. 
4. Switch to a paddle attachment and while the mixture is running on low, add tablespoon sized dollops of room temperature butter making sure to let the butter incorporate before you add the next piece. Once all the butter is incorporated, go ahead and add the vanilla extract.
5. Drizzle in the melted and cooled chocolate while the mixer is running on low. Scrape the bowl down and mix again. You can now transfer it to a piping bag or to a ziplock bag to store in the freezer.

* I didn't use this Swiss Meringue Buttercream recipe.😅

My Swiss Meringue Buttercream recipe:

2  egg whites, room temperature
100g sugar
125g  unsalted butter, room temperature
1 tbsp  Glucose (Optional)
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
Some melted chocolate

Instructions:

*Same as above but I used hand whisk.😜

Recipe souce from:Preppy Kitchen

Happy Baking!