These Devil’s Food Cupcakes are the perfect cupcake for birthdays and other celebrations. They’re a delicious chocolate cupcake with an even more delicious chocolate icing.
The icing in this recipe is the chocolate icing of your dreams. It firms up nicely for frosting, but I prefer to dunk the tops of these Devil’s Food Cupcakes into the icing before it firms up. I love the way the icing lies smoothly on top, and sprinkles attach themselves to the still-not-firm icing rather easily. These were made for a very special birthday for one of our friends.
Do you wish to live until the ripe-old-age of Ninety Three? I’d say if you make it that far, you’ve lived a good, long life. I can only hope that I’ll be living well into my nineties, still cooking up a storm, food blogging with ninety-three-year-old wisdom, and basking in the joy of numerous grandchildren. And I would still like someone to make me a cupcake on my 93rd birthday.
And I’d say it should have loads of chocolatey frosting on it. No store-bought mixes please. Devil’s Food Cupcakes will do.
Sprinkles are a bonus. And one candle will suffice.
If someone wants to take the time to give me a party, that would be nice. I should like to celebrate longevity and sample simple and exotic foods that have sustained me in my long life. I’d want plenty of my old-timer friends and family to join me in the celebration.
Our Monsignor friend turned 93 last weekend, and my hubby took him to dinner. He wanted to bring along a little dessert to share, so I sent a decorated variety of these Devil’s Food Cupcakes. Monsignor has lived a fabulous, long life filled with faith, charity and people. He was even the chaplain of the football team for a major university and has authored a book. I’d say that’s a life well-lived.
We can all only be so lucky. I’m told the Monsignor enjoyed these cupcakes very much!
If you are looking for a few more chocolate dessert recipes, I’d say you might like to try my Basement Brownies or this Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Ganache. Chocolate Cream Pie, Chocolate Sheet Cake, and Double Chocolate Cookies are also excellent chocolate-themed recipes.
Devil's Food Cupcakes
Ingredients
CUPCAKES:
- 2 cups sifted cake flour (sift, then measure)
- 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1/3 cup water
- 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 3/4 cups granulated white sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
ICING:
- 12 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped (or use chips)
- 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
- sprinkles or other decor, as desired
Instructions
- Position a rack in the middle of the oven; preheat to 350°F. Rub the tops only of 2 muffin pans lightly with oil (to prevent tops of muffins from sticking to pan). Line 24 muffin cups with paper bake cups.
PREPARE THE CUPCAKES:
- In a large bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. In a small bowl, stir together the buttermilk and water.
- In an extra-large bowl, beat the butter with an electric mixer on medium speed for 30 seconds. Add the sugar and beat about an 2 additional minutes or until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla. Reduce the speed to low and alternately add the cocoa mixture and the buttermilk mixture to the butter mixture in three batches, beating just until well-blended.
- Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling each 3/4 full. Bake 15 to 18 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean. Cool the cupcakes in the pans on wire racks for 5 minutes. Remove from pans.
PREPARE THE ICING:
- Set a heatproof, deep bowl over a saucepan of about 1 1/2 inches of nearly simmering water. Add the chocolate and cream and whisk just until melted and smooth. Add the butter; whisk until melted and smooth. Remove the bowl from the pan and let the mixture cool to room temperature, then chill, covered, for 15 minutes.
- Beat the icing with an electric mixer on medium-high speed 6 to 8 minutes or until thick enough to spread. Evenly spread the cupcakes with frosting. Sprinkle with desired decor. If you get anxious, you can dip the tops into the frosting before it's entirely firmed up.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
