Chocolate Cupcakes With Vanilla French Buttercream Recipes

RASPBERRY-FILLED CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES WITH VANILLA BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
• Sift flour, cocoa powder, and baking powder together in a bowl. Whisk sugar, milk, oil, eggs, and vanilla extract together in another bowl. Gradually add flour mixture to sugar mixture, whisking until combined. Spoon batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling each 2/3 full.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean, 12 to 15 minutes. Allow to cool in the tin for 5 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
• Place raspberry preserves into a pastry bag fitted with a round tip. Insert the tip into each cupcake and squeeze about 1 tablespoon of filling into the center of each.
• Beat powdered sugar and butter for frosting together using a hand-held electric mixer until creamy and smooth. Beat in vanilla extract. If frosting seems too dry, add milk to reach desired consistency. Frost cooled, filled cupcakes.

SUPER MOIST CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line a 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners. Line a second pan with 2 liners - this recipe makes about 14 cupcakes. Set aside.
• Whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl until thoroughly combined. Set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs, granulated sugar, brown sugar, oil, and vanilla together until combined. Pour half of the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Then half of the buttermilk. Gently whisk for a few seconds. Repeat with the remaining wet ingredients and buttermilk. Stir until *just* combined; do not overmix. The batter will be thin.
• Pour or spoon the batter into the liners. Fill only halfway (this is imperative! only halfway!) to avoid spilling over the sides or sinking.
• Bake for 18-21 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool completely before frosting. I usually let them cool in the pan.
• Frost cooled cupcakes however you'd like. I used chocolate buttercream and Wilton 1M piping tip for these pictured cupcakes. Top with sprinkles, if desired. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES WITH VANILLA FRENCH BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line 40 standard muffin cups with cupcake liners and set aside.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together sugar and butter until light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Add chocolate and beat on medium speed until well combined, 1 to 2 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add sour cream and vanilla and mix until well combined, 1 to 2 minutes.
• With mixer on low speed, add flour mixture in three parts, alternating with 1 cup water and beginning and ending with flour; beat until just combined, 1 to 3 minutes.
• Fill prepared muffin cups three-quarters full with batter. Transfer to oven and bake for 10 minutes. Rotate muffin pans and continue baking until a cake tester inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean, about 10 minutes more. Let cool completely before frosting.

CHOCOLATE WHIPPED CREAM FROSTING

Steps:

• Beat all ingredients in chilled large bowl with electric mixer on high speed until stiff.

CHOCOLATE STOUT CUPCAKES WITH IRISH CREAM BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pans). Place foil or paper baking cup in each of 24 regular-size muffin cups.
• In large bowl, beat all cupcake ingredients with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds. Beat on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Divide batter among muffin cups.
• Bake 18 to 23 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove cupcakes from pans to cooling racks. Cool completely.
• In large bowl, beat shortening and butter with electric mixer on low speed until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating until combined. Add vanilla and 2 tablespoons of the liqueur; beat until blended. Add enough of the remaining 1 to 2 tablespoons liqueur, 1 teaspoon at a time, beating until frosting is light and fluffy.
• Spoon frosting into decorating bag fitted with #1M star tip; pipe frosting in circular pattern on tops of cupcakes.