A popular method of chocolate cupcake making is the "Hershey's" method that involves the use of only cocoa in the cake and the application of water or coffee to make a thin batter. The result is deep cocoa flavor and an overall light cupcake. However, this was not the type of cupcake I wanted to pair with salted caramel frosting.
This recipe produces a denser, fudgey cake. It is not quite "brownie-like" in it's texture, but it gets close. This is the sort of cake that requires a glass of milk along side it. If nothing else, the salted caramel sauce and the resulting frosting are perfect. Absolutely perfect.
Chocolate Cupcakes
yield: 24 cupcakes
1 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted and cooled
4 eggs
1 cup sour cream
2 tsp vanilla
1 1/4 cups flour
1 1/4 cups cocoa
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (or 325 if using dark pans). Line 24 cupcake tins with paper liners.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes at medium speed. Add in the melted chocolate chips and cream until combined.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, sour cream, and vanilla. Add to the butter mixture and cream until homogenous.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. With the mixer on low, gradually add the dry ingredients to the batter. The resulting batter will be quite thick, sticky, and gloppy. Divide the batter among the cupcake tins. Bake at 350 for 15 - 18 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.*
*I will likely revisit this recipe in the future. I think a little buttermilk, and maybe reducing the cocoa powder, could go a long way towards making the batter more manageable and the end result chocolatey without being overly dense.
Brown Butter Salted Caramel Sauce
yield: about a cup of caramel
2 tbsp of butter
1 cup of sugar
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tbsp sour cream
1/2 tsp finely ground sea salt
Begin by browning the butter in a saucepan. Set aside to cool. In the same pan (if you're bold and confident in your caramel-making abilities) place the sugar and water and bring to a boil, stirring only until the sugar dissolves. Swirl the pan intermittently to prevent scorching and encourage even browning. After about 6-7 minutes at a steady boil, the mixture should be golden. Continue to boil for another minute or two until the mixture is a deep amber. Deep amber is the goal regardless of how long it may take to get there.
Remove from heat. Add in the cream all at once. The mixture will spit and sputter; just whisk it until it calms down. Add in the sour cream, salt, and reserved brown butter. Whisk to combine. Cool the mixture before making the frosting. This can be done in the refrigerator, whisking regularly, in about an hour. Otherwise, make the caramel the night before and let it cool overnight.
Salted Caramel Frosting
1 cup butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup caramel sauce
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
3 - 4 cups confectioner's sugar
In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter until light and whipped. Add in the caramel, beating slowly at first until incorporated. Increase speed to whip the butter-caramel mixture until light. Add in the vanilla and salt with the first cup of confectioner's sugar. Beat slowly, then increase speed to whip the frosting. Add in two more cups of confectioner's sugar slowly at first, then whipping.
After you've added in 3 cups of the sugar, taste the frosting for sweetness. A buttery taste in a caramel frosting can be quite pleasant if you prefer a less-sweet frosting. Add in as much more sugar as necessary to meet your taste (I added in another 1/2 cup). Finish the frosting by scraping the bowl well and beating at medium speed for at least one minute to lighten and whip.
Frost cupcakes. Drizzle remaining 1/4 cup of caramel over the cupcakes. Sprinkle with sea salt. Enjoy!
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