"How to Cook Everything" by Mark Bittman
Ingredients:8 TBS. unsalted butter (1 stick)
2 C. cake or all-purpose flour, plus some for dusting the pans
3 oz. unsweetened chocolate, roughly chopped
1 C. Sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/4 C. milk
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Spray Cupcake pans with nonstick cooking spray. Or you coul use cupcake papers.
2. Melt the chocolate in a small saucepan or double boiler. If over a asaucepan, cook over very low heat, stirring occasionally; if in a double boiler, cook over hot (not boiling) water, stirring occasionally. When the chocolate is just about melted, remove from the heat and continue to stir until the mixture is smooth.
3. Use an electric mixer to cream the butter until smooth, then gradually add the sugar. Beat until light and fluffy, 3 or 4 mins. Beat in the egg yolks, one at a time, then the vanilla, and finally the chocolate. Mix togethr the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl and add them to the choolate mixture by hand, a little at a time, alternating with the milk. Stir until smooth, no longer.
4. Beat the egg whites until they hold soft peaks. use your hand or rubber spatula to fold them gently but thoroughly into the batter. Spoon cupcake papers in each of the compartments; fill almost to the brim. Bake at 350 for 20-25 mins. Cook on a rack and then put desired icing on cupcakes.
Tweaks: I used cocoa powder instead of unsweetened chocolate. I followed the directions on the box of cocoa powder on how to make unsweetened chocolate using cocoa powder and crisco. I did not melt the chocolate, just added the cocoa powder in with the dry ingredients, and the crisco in with the butter. Turned out yummy. I cheated on the icing because I was just using what I had on hand. I used Duncan Hines squeezable icing. Sorry for dissappointing you there :) Enjoy!
