Chocolate Cupcakes topped with mint chocolate

I realized that the craters in the center of my cupcakes were not for any reason other than too much leavening. It came to me while reading A Mingling of Tastes: how-to-fix-sunken-cupcakes from fellow blogger Julie. Please check out her great post for more detailed information. She may have just saved the entire cupcake eating world. So many cupcake bakers have spent hours trying to cover up the divots in their cakes. I am eternally grateful.

I removed the baking soda all together and just went with baking powder which already contains a little baking soda. The ratio of flour to leavening was really something that I had not given too much though to. Chemistry, however interesting, is not a strength of mine. Which might be why I do not love the art of baking. I am much more of a cook than a baker due to lack of precision.

look at those nicely rounded tops

After altering the leavening agents I get beautifully rounded tops on these cupcakes with a nice moist crumb. Be sure not to leave the salt out of this recipe, it is a flavor carrier and without it the chocolate will not have the intensity. I prefer to top them with melted chocolate, as I am not a big fan of frosting. I melt chocolate and spread just a bit on top and sprinkle a little chocolate shavings or curls.

Chocolate Cupcakes with Mint “Frosting”

Makes exactly 12 cupcakes.

• 1 cup soymilk or milk + 1 tsp cider vinegar (let sit for a minute) or substitute buttermilk
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup canola or grapeseed oil
• 1 tsp vanilla or 1/2 tsp mint extract
• 1 tsp espresso or fine coffee grounds
• 1 cup flour
• 1/3 cup cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp fine sea salt

topping:

• 1/2 bar of dark chocolate with mint by Endangered Species Chocolates
• chocolate curls or real chocolate jimmies

Preheat oven to 350F. Mix all wet ingredients including sugar in a bowl. Then mix all the dry ingredients in another bowl. Mix the two together, pour into a muffin pan (papers optional). Bake 18-20 minutes. Let cool.

Once cool, break up and melt the chocolate bar or use a handful of chocolate chips. Using a spoon spread on the top of each cupcake with the melted chocolate. Sprinkle with chocolate curls. I have these cute little dark chocolate sprinkles from Callebaut that are square and seriously chocolate, not like the jimmies from the supermarket that taste of wax.

***With the findings for this post I have also updated my recipe for Chocolate Espresso Cupcakes

Tagged as: chocolate, dairy-free, dessert, egg-free, vegan