Chocolate Cupcakes

My daughter’s birthday falls on the August long weekend.  Every year friends are away on summer holidays during this weekend and typically so are we.  On the suggestion from a friend we decided to start having her “friends” only birthday party in June.  And so it began last year and is once again upon us.

Last week she asked me if she could bring cupcakes to school (since other kids did) to share with the class in honour of her birthday celebration.  So we discussed particulars and came up with a plan.  As life has been insanely busy and I was feeling slightly overwhelmed…I seriously considered some of the speciality cupcake shops around town and even called them for pricing.  But at almost $18 per dozen mini cupcakes, I decided I would find the time to make mini cupcakes for my lil girl to take to school.

Growing up I remember my mom making this chocolate cake recipe…always in an 8×8 or 9×9 square baking pan, always with the same vanilla icing.  Every time I make this recipe I am brought back to a special memory involving this chocolate cake.  Funny how food does that.  I made this cake for my son’s first birthday, it was his smash cake.  This time we turned the recipe into cupcakes.  It’s easy and very yummy.  We used a Vanilla Frosting this time to ice the cupcakes. When I make them at Easter I use a buttercream frosting. Sinfully delicious.

Chocolate Cupcakes

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Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 3/4 cups cocoa
• 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup warm water
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 3 tbsp canola oil
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350F. Line cupcake pans with liners.
• In bowl sift flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Stir to combine.
• My mother used to make 3 holes in the dry ingredients and use some ancient theory when adding her wet ingredients (certain ones in each hole). I haven't noticed a difference either way and so I toss eggs, warm water, buttermilk, vanilla and oil all in at the same time mixing well. Tap bowl on counter a few times to release air pockets
• Pour batter evenly into cupcake liners only filling approximately 1/3 full. Drop 4-5 chocolate chips into each cupcake and bake until tops spring back when touched or toothpick inserted comes out clean. Bake 9 minutes for mini cupcakes or 15-18 minutes for large cupcakes
• Transfer to wire rack and let cool completely before icing.