More cupcake blogging

As if I have nothing better to do.

I made the vanilla clouds again for a new mom (#1 top deserving reason for cupcakes, in my opinion), and this time made some mini-cupcakes. I think that they were better than the big ones; because they are so sweet, the small ones are the perfect amount!

I had some leftover vanilla buttercream, so today I tried a variation on this recipe, so you can see the inspiration for the squiggle.

The cupcake itself was shockingly delicious considering it had no eggs and the tiny amount of fat. I shouldn't even say it like that - it really is an outrageous devils food recipe. Too simple to be true. But it is. True.

The original recipe called for 'vegetable oil', but when it comes to baking, I am a purist.

Incredibly moist dark chocolate cupcakes

1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp flour
2 1/2 Tbsp good, unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
3 Tbsp melted butter
1 1/2 tsp distilled white vinegar
1 tsp vanilla

Sift together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. Mix in the sugar. Make a well in the center. Whisk in the water, melted butter, vinegar, and vanilla. Blend until smooth. (The batter will be thin.)

Pour or spoon the batter into lined mini cupcake tins. Bake at 325 degrees until a cake tester inserted into the center of one of the cupcakes comes out clean, about 12 to 14 minutes. Cool the cupcakes before frosting.

Chocolate Ganache

1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips or choc pieces

melt over double boiler, turn to low and add

3 Tbsp heavy cream

whisk together to shiny consistency

Dip tops of the cupcakes into the ganache - do this carefully, since the cake is very fragile.

I made a double batch. I got 24 perfectly sized mini-cupcakes (by filling 3/4 full), and 11 slightly undersized regular ones. (Okay, 3 or 4 were of good size)

I decorated the tops of the little ones with a squiggle of vanilla bean buttercream, but the large ones got a good squidge of it inside for filling and then their squiggles on top as well.

The large ones don't look as nice, though, because they didn't have as much batter in the cups, so when I dipped them in the ganache, the cupcake liners got dipped too.

I have to say, I think small cupcakes are really the best. They contain the perfect ratio of frosting to cake, in one bite or three. Yum.