Chocolate Cupcakes For Almost Everybody Nytimes Magazine Recipes

CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 24 muffin cups with paper liners. Whisk 2 cups flour and 1 teaspoon each baking soda and salt in a medium bowl.
• Heat 1 1/2 cups milk in a small saucepan until hot but not boiling; whisk into 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder in a large bowl until smooth. Let cool slightly. Whisk in 2 cups sugar, 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil, 2 eggs and 2 teaspoons vanilla until smooth. Whisk in the flour mixture until just combined.
• Divide the batter among the muffin cups and bake until the tops spring back, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes in the pans, then remove the cupcakes to a rack to cool completely.

CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 350 degrees and line 4 6-cup muffin tins with cupcake liners. Sift together the flour, soda, salt, and cocoa powder and set aside. Use a standing mixer or hand-mixer to cream the butter. Add the sugar and vanilla and mix to combine. Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each one until smooth.
• On the lowest speed, alternately add the dry ingredients in three additions and the milk in two. Beat only until smooth and fully combined, you don't want to overwork the batter.
• Scoop the batter into the prepared pans filling each about two-thirds full (don't bother to smooth the tops--the batter will level itself as it cooks). Bake the cupcakes for about 25 minutes, or until the tops are puffed and spring back when lightly pressed. Be careful not to overbake the cakes, but know that if you take them out too early they may sink a bit. Cool the cakes in the muffin tins for about 5 minutes and then remove them to a rack and let cool completely.
• To make the ganache, put all the ingredients in a small, deep saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook, whisking occasionally to combine, until the chocolate and butter are nearly melted. Take the pan off the heat and whisk continuously until all the chocolate is melted; the ganache should be shiny and without any lumps.
• When the ganache is about room temperature, use a butter knife to spread it evenly on top of the cakes; sprinkle with nonpareil if you like. The cakes can be made a day in advance and refrigerated (they actually get better) or frozen in an airtight container.

DEVIL'S FOOD CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Place the baking cups in the muffin pans.
• Place the chocolate in a small heavy saucepan, and melt over low heat, stirring constantly. Remove the pans from the heat and set aside.
• Cream the butter and brown sugar together in the bowl of an electric mixer. With the mixer on low speed, add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the melted chocolate.
• Combine the flour, baking soda and salt. Alternating between the two, add the flour mixture and buttermilk to the chocolate mixture in three stages, ending with the flour. Then slowly stir in 1 cup of boiling water and the vanilla.
• Pour the batter 3/4 full into the baking cups. Place in the oven and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean, about 15 minutes.
• Remove the pans from the oven, and let the cupcakes cool for 5 minutes, and then remove them from the muffin pans. Let the cupcakes cool completely.
• Place all the ingredients into a small, heavy saucepan over moderate heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate is almost melted.
• Remove from heat. Continue to stir until the chocolate is completely melted. Transfer to a shallow bowl. Let stand, stirring occasionally, until icing reaches room temperature.
• Hold cupcakes upside down and dip the tops into the icing. Twirl slightly and then hold upside down for a few seconds for excess to drip off. After dipping them all, dip each one a second time.

VEGAN CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 and prepare a dozen muffin cups - either outfit a muffin pan with paper or foil liners, or use a baking sheet and set out 12 paper liners nested inside foil liners, or else use silicone muffin cups.
• In a large mixing bowl, stir together the soy or rice milk, vinegar, sugar, vegetable oil and vanilla extract. In another bowl, stir together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Sift the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, pausing two or three times to stir, and keep stirring until all the large lumps are gone.
• Pour the batter into the cupcake liners until they are about two-thirds full. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.
• When cool, whisk the chocolate glaze ingredients until smooth and spread the glaze on the cupcakes. If you choose, top with sprinkles.

CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES WITH CREAM FILLING

Steps:

• For the cakes: Heat oven to 350 degrees. Coat the interior of a 12-cup muffin pan with nonstick spray.
• In a medium bowl, sift together the cake flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Using a mixer, beat the egg yolks with the oil, .5 cup of the sugar and 2 tablespoons water. With the mixer at low speed, add the cake flour mixture and beat until smooth; set aside.
• In a clean bowl, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar and beat until stiff and glossy. Mix .25 of the whites into the batter, then fold in the remaining whites until no streaks remain. Divide the batter among the muffin cups, filling them halfway. Bake until risen and lightly firm, about 15 minutes. Allow to cool for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a rack to cool completely.
• For the filling: Using a mixer, beat together the butter, confectioners' sugar and Marshmallow Fluff. Add cream and beat just until smooth. Fit a pastry bag with a round .25-inch tip, and fill bag with all but .25 cup of the filling. (Put the extra .25 cup in a pastry bag fitted with a .125-inch round tip, or in a small Ziplock bag, and reserve.) Plunge the tip into the side of a cupcake, filling just until you feel the cupcake swell. Repeat with remaining cupcakes.
• For the frosting: Heat the cream just until bubbles begin to form on the edges of the pan, add the chocolate and remove from heat. Stir until melted and smooth. Add the butter, stirring to combine. Dip the top of a cupcake into the frosting, flip and set aside. Repeat with remaining cupcakes. Allow frosting to set, about 20 minutes.
• With the small pastry bag of filling, or snipping a tiny corner off the Ziplock bag, pipe a tiny squiggle across the top of each cupcake. Place in an airtight container until serving.

CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES FOR ALMOST EVERYBODY-NYTIMES MAGAZINE

Steps:

• 1. Preheat the oven to 350 and prepare a dozen muffin cups - either outfit a muffin pan with paper or foil liners, or use a baking sheet and set out 12 paper liners nested inside foil liners, or else use silicone muffin cups.
• 2. In a large mixing bowl, stir together the soy or rice milk, vinegar, sugar, vegetable oil and vanilla extract. In another bowl, stir together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Sift the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, pausing two or three times to stir, and keep stirring until all the large lumps are gone.
• 3. Pour the batter into the cupcake liners until they are about two-thirds full. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.
• 4. When cool, whisk the chocolate glaze ingredients until smooth and spread the glaze on the cupcakes. If you choose, top with sprinkles. Makes 12 cupcakes. Adapted from "Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World," by Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero.
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