Sweet Things Remembered

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Rich, moist chocolate cupcakes with an equally rich and creamy chocolate icing – what’s not to love about that?

In a previous post, I mentioned that my grandma knew everyone’s favorites and would make those favorites for special occasions or family get togethers. Well, I have one cousin whose favorite goodie is chocolate cupcakes with chocolate icing. My grandma had this cupcake container that was shaped like a giant cupcake, and inside were tiered trays to hold them. It was like this only hers was brown. She would make sure it was full of these cupcakes whenever she knew my cousin was visiting. I really admired that about my grandma, the way she used her skills in baking to show how much she truly cared for each of her loved ones. It was something simple, but it always felt so good when she would tell me she had made something special just for me, and I’m sure many others in my family felt the same. I desire as a mother, and sometime in the far future as a grandmother, whether through baking or another means, to be able to do the same thing.

Ingredients

For the cake:

• Granulated sugar
• All-purpose flour
• Cocoa powder
• Baking powder
• Baking soda
• Salt
• Eggs
• Milk
• Vegetable oil
• Vanilla extract
• Boiling water

For the Icing:

• Powdered sugar
• Butter or margarine
• Cocoa powder
• Milk
• Vanilla

Special Equipment

• Cupcake Pan & Liners – You will need a cupcake pan if you want to make cupcakes, but if would prefer, you can make this cake recipe in a 9×13 pan or in two 9 inch round pans. Don’t forget to add cute liners!
• Mixer (optional) – I might just have to write it every time because using a stand mixer or electric hand mixer makes baking so much easier. If you have a stand mixer, you should be using the paddle attachment for both the cake batter and the icing.
• Offset Spatula – You can use whatever you want to spread icing onto your cupcakes or cake, but using an offset spatula like this makes it so much easier to evenly and smoothly spread the icing. A small one is best for cupcakes and a larger size can be used for a round or rectangle cake.

How to Make Chocolate Chocolate Cupcakes

Step 1: Make the Cupcakes

• Preheat your oven to 350° and line two cupcake pans (total of 24 cupcakes). If you are making round cakes (two 9 inch) or a rectangle cake (9×13), grease your pan/s.
• In your mixing bowl, stir together 2 cups sugar, 1 and 3/4 cups flour, 3/4 cup cocoa, 1 and 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1 and 1/2 tsp baking soda, and 1 tsp salt.
• Next, add in 2 eggs, 1 cup of milk, 1/2 cup vegetable oil, and 2 tsp vanilla, and beat on a medium speed for about 2 minutes.
• In a separate bowl, microwave 1 cup of water until boiling.
• Remove the mixing bowl from the mixer and stir in the boiling water using a spatula. The batter will be thin!
• Pour the batter into prepared cupcake pans. You to fill each cup 2/3 to 3/4 of the way full. Bake 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. For 9 inch rounds pans, bake 30-35 minutes. For a 9×13 pan, bake 35-40 minutes.
• Cool for 10 minutes, and then remove from the pan to cool the rest of the way on a wire rack. If baking a 9×13 cake, you can leave it in the pan if you prefer.

Step 2: Make the Icing

• In a large mixing bowl, add 2 and 2/3 cups powdered sugar.
• In a separate bowl, melt 2/3 cup of butter or margarine in the microwave.
• Add 2/3 cup of cocoa powder to the melted butter and stir it well. The mixture will be stiff.
• Add the chocolate mixture to the powdered sugar along with 1/3 cup of milk and 1 or 2 tsp of vanilla (Grandma wrote that she would use 2). Beat well until icing is smooth. You can adjust the amount of milk or powdered sugar if needed to get to the thickness you prefer.
• When the cupcakes, or cake, are completely cool, ice them to your liking and enjoy. Store any extra icing in the refrigerator.

Questions You May Have

Chocolate Chocolate Cupcakes

Recipe by rebekahdearmondDifficulty: Easy

Servings

24

cupcakes

Prep time

15

minutes

Baking time

25

minutes

Ingredients

• For the Cake

• 2 cups sugar

• 1 – 3/4 cups flour

• 3/4 cup cocoa powder

• 1 – 1/2 tsp baking powder

• 1 – 1/2 tsp baking soda

• 1 tsp salt

• 2 eggs

• 1 cup milk

• 1/2 cup vegetable oil

• 2 tsp vanilla

• 1 cup boiling water

• For the Icing

• 2 – 2/3 cups powdered sugar

• 2/3 cup butter or margarine

• 2/3 cup cocoa powder

• 1/3 cup milk

• 2 tsp vanilla

Directions

• Bake the Cupcakes
• Preheat your oven to 350° and line two cupcake pans (24 cups total).
• In a mixing bowl, stir together sugar (2 cups), flour (1 and 3/4 cups), cocoa powder (3/4 cup), baking powder (1 and 1/2 tsp), baking soda (1 and 1/2 tsp), and salt (1 tsp).
• Add in eggs (2), milk (1 cup), vegetable oil (1/2 cup), and vanilla (2 tsp), and beat on a medium speed for about 2 minutes.
• In a separate bowl, microwave water (1 cup) until boiling.
• Remove the mixing bowl from the mixer and stir in the boiling water using a spatula.
• Pour the batter into prepared cupcake pans and bake 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
• Cool for 10 minutes, and then remove from the pan to cool the rest of the way on a wire rack.
• Make the Icing
• In a large mixing bowl, add powdered sugar (2 and 2/3 cups).
• In a separate bowl, melt butter (2/3 cup) in the microwave.
• Add 2/3 cup of cocoa powder to the melted butter and stir it well.
• Add the chocolate mixture to the powdered sugar along with milk (1/3 cup) and vanilla (1 or 2 tsp) and mix until icing forms.
• When the cupcakes are completely cool, ice them to your liking and enjoy!

Notes

• This cake recipe can also be used to make two 9 inch round cakes baked for 30-35 minutes or a 9×13 rectangle cake (quarter sheet) baked for 35-40 minutes.