Devil's Food Chocolate Cupcake Recipe

Directions

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

1. Using paddle attachment on your stand mixer or using a hand mixer, beat butter until pale white and creamy (approximately 3-5 minutes).

2. Meanwhile, sift soft icing sugar mixture into another bowl.

3. Add 5 cups of sifted icing sugar, turn the mixer on low and gradually increase to med-high speed.

4. Add cocoa, salt, vanilla extract and milk. Beat until combined.

5. Continue to add icing sugar 1/2 cup at a time until desired consistency and sweetness is reached. Scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure thorough mixing and no lumps form.

6. Beat for another 2 minutes. Frosting will become light and fluffy.

7. Melt dark chocolate over a double boiler or in the microwave in 15 second bursts, stirring each time. Allow melted chocolate to cool for a few minutes. Do not add hot melted chocolate to your frosting straight away otherwise it will seize and form lumps.

8. Add melted chocolate and beat into frosting until thoroughly incorporated.

Chocolate Cupcake

1. Preheat oven. Line your cupcake pans with cupcake papers.

2. Sift all dry ingredients directly into mixing bowl.

3. Weigh out butter, eggs and milk. Ensure they are all at room temperature.

4. Use the paddle attachment. Add all the butter, vanilla extract and milk into the mixing bowl with dry ingredients then turn mixer on low and gradually build up speed to med-high. Mix for 40 seconds.

5. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and paddle attachment. Resume mixing on low speed.

6. Add eggs one at a time. Turn speed up to med-high. Mix for a further 30 seconds.

7. Ensure batter is smooth, if necessary scrape down the bowl and beat extra 10 seconds.

8. Fill cupcake papers 2/3 full.

9. Bake for 17-20 minutes until a cake skewer comes out clean.

Cupcake Construction

1. Using a French tip nozzle in a piping bag, fill with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting and pipe a dome on the cupcake and another directly on top. Garnish with chocolate curls or flakes.