Saturday, July 24, 2010

Chocolate Butter Cupcakes with Vanilla Bean Buttercream

For the past couple of days I have been craving a chocolate butter cake with vanilla bean butter cream frosting. Why? I have no earthly idea..but I am so glad that I finally caved. These cupcakes turned out just what I wanted...moist, buttery,chocolaty, light...I could go on and on. The recipe also made a ton! I ended up baking 2 dozen regular sized cupcakes and 3 dozen mini's..you know, I had to make sure that there would be enough to go around! :)

The butter cream is just a simple butter cream, and I used vanilla bean paste to get the vanilla bean flavor and the little specks in the frosting. Those little specks make me happy! I like it because you don't have to scrape the actual vanilla bean, and it is cheaper and goes a little further.

The weather here has been just plain hot! For the past 2 days the heat index has been at least 105. That is just way too hot! So, these little babies are helping me beat the heat. I mean, what can be better? Sitting in the AC, eating cupcakes? I can't think of anything better...other than maybe sitting by the ocean eating a cupcake. :)


Chocolate Butter Cupcakes:

4 oz unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup boiling water
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup unsalted butter, room temp
2 cup sugar
3 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1 cup milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake tins with liners.

In a heatproof bowl place the chopped unsweetened chocolate and cocoa powder. Pour the boiling water over the chocolate and cocoa powder and stir until they have melted. Set aside to cool while you make the batter.

In a separate bowl, whisk to combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

In the bowl of your electric mixer or with a hand mixer, beat the butter until smooth and creamy. Gradually add the sugar and continue beating until the mixture is fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the vanilla and melted chocolate mixture and beat to combine.

Add the milk and flour mixtures in three additions, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Beat only until the ingredients are incorporated.

Divide the batter evenly into lined muffin tins. Bake the regular sized cupcakes for 12 minutes and the mini's 8-10 minutes.

Vanilla Bean Butter cream:

1 stick unsalted butter, room temp
1 Tbsp vanilla bean paste or one vanilla bean scraped
2 lb bag of powdered sugar
milk

Cream the butter and add the vanilla bean paste and mix until combined. Gradually add the powdered sugar and add milk as you go along to get the consistency you want.

10 comments:

Ingrid_3Bs said...

I'm on vacation right now and the heat index here is 110!! That's craziness. I'm not eating cupcakes in the a/c but will have some birthday cake later. :)
~ingrid

Barbara Bakes said...

Beautiful cupcakes. Chocolate is always my favorite. The specks make me happy too!

Bethie said...

Those are some of the most yummy looking cupcakes, evah!!

Megan said...

I love vanilla bean paste! And yes, the flaecks make me happy too. :) Your cupcakes look amazing! I would like to eat one at the lake!

Tiffany said...

Slap me hard, those look sooo good.

Peace, Love and Chocolate
Tiffany

Mary Bergfeld said...

What lovely cupcakes. You've set my mouth watering for one. The flecks of vanilla and the chocolate are breaking my diet resolve. I hope you are having a wonderful day. Blessings...Mary

Megan said...

I saw your post on Facebook about those cupcakes, and I'm glad I finally came around to get the recipe. I can't wait to make them!

Unknown said...

You changes your template? Wow!! I'm lucky, the heat is gone here, pouring rain all the time now! The cupcakes look delicious!!

Garcon de Croissant said...

That's my favorite combination. Chocolate cupcake + vanilla buttercream frosting = pure goodness!

dolly said...

I dn't like cup cakes...
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SEO process

Saturday, July 24, 2010

Chocolate Butter Cupcakes with Vanilla Bean Buttercream

For the past couple of days I have been craving a chocolate butter cake with vanilla bean butter cream frosting. Why? I have no earthly idea..but I am so glad that I finally caved. These cupcakes turned out just what I wanted...moist, buttery,chocolaty, light...I could go on and on. The recipe also made a ton! I ended up baking 2 dozen regular sized cupcakes and 3 dozen mini's..you know, I had to make sure that there would be enough to go around! :)

The butter cream is just a simple butter cream, and I used vanilla bean paste to get the vanilla bean flavor and the little specks in the frosting. Those little specks make me happy! I like it because you don't have to scrape the actual vanilla bean, and it is cheaper and goes a little further.

The weather here has been just plain hot! For the past 2 days the heat index has been at least 105. That is just way too hot! So, these little babies are helping me beat the heat. I mean, what can be better? Sitting in the AC, eating cupcakes? I can't think of anything better...other than maybe sitting by the ocean eating a cupcake. :)


Chocolate Butter Cupcakes:

4 oz unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup boiling water
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup unsalted butter, room temp
2 cup sugar
3 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1 cup milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake tins with liners.

In a heatproof bowl place the chopped unsweetened chocolate and cocoa powder. Pour the boiling water over the chocolate and cocoa powder and stir until they have melted. Set aside to cool while you make the batter.

In a separate bowl, whisk to combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

In the bowl of your electric mixer or with a hand mixer, beat the butter until smooth and creamy. Gradually add the sugar and continue beating until the mixture is fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the vanilla and melted chocolate mixture and beat to combine.

Add the milk and flour mixtures in three additions, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Beat only until the ingredients are incorporated.

Divide the batter evenly into lined muffin tins. Bake the regular sized cupcakes for 12 minutes and the mini's 8-10 minutes.

Vanilla Bean Butter cream:

1 stick unsalted butter, room temp
1 Tbsp vanilla bean paste or one vanilla bean scraped
2 lb bag of powdered sugar
milk

Cream the butter and add the vanilla bean paste and mix until combined. Gradually add the powdered sugar and add milk as you go along to get the consistency you want.

10 comments:

Ingrid_3Bs said...

I'm on vacation right now and the heat index here is 110!! That's craziness. I'm not eating cupcakes in the a/c but will have some birthday cake later. :)
~ingrid

Barbara Bakes said...

Beautiful cupcakes. Chocolate is always my favorite. The specks make me happy too!

Bethie said...

Those are some of the most yummy looking cupcakes, evah!!

Megan said...

I love vanilla bean paste! And yes, the flaecks make me happy too. :) Your cupcakes look amazing! I would like to eat one at the lake!

Tiffany said...

Slap me hard, those look sooo good.

Peace, Love and Chocolate
Tiffany

Mary Bergfeld said...

What lovely cupcakes. You've set my mouth watering for one. The flecks of vanilla and the chocolate are breaking my diet resolve. I hope you are having a wonderful day. Blessings...Mary

Megan said...

I saw your post on Facebook about those cupcakes, and I'm glad I finally came around to get the recipe. I can't wait to make them!

Unknown said...

You changes your template? Wow!! I'm lucky, the heat is gone here, pouring rain all the time now! The cupcakes look delicious!!

Garcon de Croissant said...

That's my favorite combination. Chocolate cupcake + vanilla buttercream frosting = pure goodness!

dolly said...

I dn't like cup cakes...
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SEO process