Old Fashioned Chocolate Cupcakes Food

OLD FASHIONED CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH GLOSSY CHOCOLATE ICING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 with rack in the center.
• Spray two 8" round cake pans with nonstick spray.
• Whisk dry cake ingredients together in a large mixing bowl.
• Combine water, oil, vinegar, instant coffee granules, and vanilla in a large measuring cup.
• Add to the dry ingredients and whisk until combined- a few lumps are ok.
• Divide batter between the two pans (about 3 cups each), then bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean (35- 40 min).
• Cool cakes for 15 minutes on a rack, then invert them onto the rack.
• Leave upside down until completely cooled before frosting them.
• To make icing, melt butter in large saucepan over medium heat.
• Stir in sugar, cocoa, and salt- the mixture will be thick/grainy.
• Combine cream, sour cream and coffee granules in a large measuring cup, mixing until smooth.
• Gradually add cream mixture to chocolate until blended and smooth.
• Cook until sugar has dissolved, and mixture is smooth and hot to the touch.
• DO NOT BOIL.
• Take mixture off the heat, and add vanilla.
• Cool at room temperature until spreadable (up to three hours).
• If it isn't getting thick enough to be spreadable, put in the refrigerator until thick enough to spread.
• If it gets too thick to spread easily, warm gently in the microwave until it's just right (20 seconds or so, repeat if necessary).
• Stir well, and ice cake, frosting first layer, then placing second layer on top, and icing the top and then the sides.

OLD-FASHIONED CHOCOLATE BUTTERMILK CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees (F). Line a 12-cup cupcake tin with cupcake liners and lightly spray the liners with non-stick spray. Set aside.
• Melt the oil, butter, and chocolate together in the microwave, heating in 30 second increments, stirring between increments each time. You can also melt the oil, butter, and chocolate over very low heat on the stove top, but I find the microwave to be much easier. Whisk mixture until completely smooth and set aside to cool.
• In a medium-sized bowl combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cocoa powder, and salt; stir together until thoroughly combined and set aside.
• In a large bowl whisk together the eggs, yolk, sugar and vanilla together, beat until smooth. Add the cooled oil/butter/chocolate mixture and whisk until smooth. Add half of the flour mixture, then half of the buttermilk. Repeat the process until everything is added, and be sure to mix until JUST combined - then quickly stir in the hot water. It's important not to over mix, here! Just stir until evenly combined. Fill each cupcake liner 3/4 of the way full with batter (You will have enough batter to make more than 12 cupcakes). Bake for 16-18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Repeat with remaining batter. Cool cupcakes completely before frosting.
• Sift together the confectioners sugar and cocoa powder, whisking well to ensure it's bump and lump free!
• Using a handheld mixer OR a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium-high speed until creamy; about 2 minutes. Reduce speed to low and slowly add the sifted sugar/cocoa powder, alternating with the buttermilk, then add the vanilla and salt. Once all of the ingredients have been added, beat on high speed until light and creamy and combined; beat for at least 1 minute on high.
• Frost cooled cupcakes and top with any decorations if desired.
• Cupcakes stay fresh at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

OLD-FASHIONED CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line cupcake pans with paper liners; set aside.
• Combine in a bowl both flours, sugar, baking powder and salt. Mix on low speed until combined for about 3 minutes. Add in cubed butter, mixing until just coated with flour.
• Add eggs 1 at a time until combined. Slowly add milk and vanilla to batter until completely mixed scraping down the bowl as you mix.
• Scoop batter into baking cups filling about 2/3 full. Bake until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 17 to 20 minutes.
• Cool and decorate with Old Fashioned Frosting.
• Cream softened butter and add 4 cups sugar, milk and vanilla. Beat with paddle attachment until smooth gradually add the rest of sugar to reach frosting consistency*. (See Cook's Note)

OLD FASHIONED CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES

Steps:

• 1. For the Cupcakes: Preheat Oven 350 degrees: In a bowl combine flour, cocoa baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a food processor combine butter and sugar and process until smooth. Add the eggs, 4 oz. of chocolate pieces and vanilla. Add half of the flour mixture and ½ of the milk. Process and add the other half of the flour and the remainder of the milk. Slowly, add the hot water. Grease and fill muffin tins to top. Bake 20 25 minutes or until toothpick test comes out clean. Let Cool. For the Cream Cheese Frosting: Combine all of the above in a food processor and process until smooth. Refrigerate. Frost cupcakes as you use them.

OLD-FASHIONED CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH COCOA FROSTING

Steps:

• Make cake:
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour three 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 1 1/2-inch-high sides. Sift first 5 ingredients into medium bowl. Mix water, oil and vanilla in large bowl. Whisk in dry ingredients. Divide batter among pans. Sprinkle 1/2 cup chocolate chips over batter in each pan.
• Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Cool cakes in pans on racks 15 minutes. Cut around pan sides to loosen cakes. Turn cakes out; cool completely.
• Make frosting:
• Beat butter in large bowl until fluffy. Gradually beat in 3 cups sugar. Beat in 6 tablespoons milk and vanilla. Add cocoa and remaining 2 cups sugar; beat until blended, thinning with more milk if necessary.
• Place 1 cake layer, chocolate-chips side up, on platter. Spread 2/3 cup frosting over. Top with second cake layer, chocolate-chips side up. Spread 2/3 cup frosting over. Top with remaining cake layer, chocolate-chips side down. Spread frosting over sides and top of cake. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with cake dome; let stand at room temperature.)

OLD FASHIONED CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x13 inch pan. In a saucepan, melt 1 cup of butter. Stir in 1 cup water and 4 tablespoons cocoa powder. Remove from heat and set aside.
• In a medium bowl, dissolve the baking soda in 1/2 cup of buttermilk. Stir in the eggs and vanilla. Mix in the cooled cocoa mixture.
• In a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, cinnamon and salt. Make a well in the center and pour in the cocoa buttermilk mixture. Stir until blended. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Ice the cake with Buttermilk Pecan Icing while it's still warm.
• For the icing: In a large saucepan, melt 1/2 cup butter with 4 tablespoons cocoa. Stir in 1/3 cup buttermilk, and heat until almost boiling. Stir in confectioners' sugar, vanilla, salt and pecans. Remove from heat. Mix well and pour over warm cake.

OLD FASHIONED CHOCOLATE BUTTERMILK CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line the bottom of two 8" round cake pans with parchment paper, or butter and flour the bottom of the pans (don't butter/flour the sides).
• Combine the cocoa and the baking soda in a small heat-proof bowl. Whisk the boiling water into the cocoa, it will foam up a bit from the baking soda. Set aside to cool while preparing the other ingredients.
• Sift the flour with the baking powder and salt, set aside.
• Combine the oil, eggs, buttermilk, vanilla and sugar in a mixer bowl. Mix on medium speed to combine the ingredients, continue mixing for 2-3 minutes to emulsify the ingredients.
• With the mixer running on low, add the flour and then add the cocoa mixture. Mix until completely incorporated.
• Divide the batter evenly between the two pans. Bake until the top springs back when lightly pressed or a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean, about 30 minutes.
• Cool in the pan for 20 minutes before turning out onto a cooling rack.
• Cool completely before filling and icing.

OLD-FASHIONED CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Make the cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with foil or paper liners. Melt 4 tablespoons butter in a small skillet over medium heat, swirling the pan. Continue to cook, swirling occasionally, until the butter is browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the remaining 6 tablespoons butter and remove from the heat. Let stand, stirring occasionally, until all the butter is melted; pour into a large bowl and let cool slightly.
• Whisk the flour, baking soda, salt, baking powder, nutmeg, allspice and paprika in a medium bowl. Add the brown and granulated sugars to the bowl with the butter, along with the sour cream, vanilla, orange zest and eggs; whisk until smooth. Add the flour mixture and stir with a rubber spatula until just combined, then briefly whisk until smooth. Divide the batter among the muffin cups, filling them about two-thirds of the way. Bake until the centers of the cupcakes spring back when gently pressed, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes in the pan, then remove to a rack to cool completely.
• Make the glaze: Combine the brown sugar, corn syrup, butter and salt in a small high-sided saucepan over medium heat. Add the water and stir, then bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook, swirling the pan occasionally but not stirring, until the mixture is a rich brown color and thick enough to slowly drip off the end of a rubber spatula, 12 to 15 minutes. (The caramel should stay in a loose ball when swirled in the pan.) Meanwhile, combine the cornstarch and heavy cream in a small bowl. Remove the glaze from the heat and carefully add the cream mixture. (It's OK if it stiffens at first.) Return to the heat and cook, carefully stirring frequently, until the mixture thickens slightly, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the bourbon (or vanilla). Let stand, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes; the caramel will be thick and slightly warm.
• Cut a slit in the top of each cupcake, cutting almost all the way across and about halfway down. Transfer 1/3 cup of the glaze to a piping bag fitted with a small round tip. Gently squeeze the cupcakes to open the slits; pipe the glaze into the cupcakes, filling until the glaze comes up to the top.
• Dip the tops of the cupcakes in the remaining glaze in the saucepan, letting the excess drip off, then return to the rack. (If the caramel has started to solidify, briefly rewarm over low heat for a few seconds.) Pop any air bubbles in the glaze with a toothpick. Garnish each cupcake with an orange twist and a maraschino cherry.

OLD FASHIONED CHOCOLATE FUDGE FROSTING

Steps:

• In a heavy medium saucepan, combine the sugar, cocoa, and salt, and stir or whisk to mix everything well.
• Add the butter and place over medium heat, stirring to melt the butter and mix everything together into a smooth, brown sauce.
• Add the milk, stir well, and bring the frosting to a boil, stirring often and adjust the heat to maintain an active but gentle boil, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring often.
• When the frosting begins to thicken, remove it from the heat and stir in the vanilla and set it aside to cool for about 20 minutes.
• Beat the frosting just until it thickens and looks shiny, and then spread it over the cake or the layers you want to ice.