Ingredients
3/4
cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2
cups all-purpose flour
1
tsp pure vanilla extract
8
oz unsweetened chocolate, chopped
6
cups confectioners' sugar
16
tbsp (2 stick) unsalted butter
6
tbsp milk, plus more, if needed
Directions
1.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners; set aside.
2.
Sift together cocoa powder, flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into a large bowl.
3.
Add eggs, warm water, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla, and mix until smooth, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of bowl to assure batter is well mixed.
4.
Divide batter evenly among muffin cups, filling each 2/3 full.
5.
Bake until tops spring back when touched, about 20 minutes, rotating pan once if needed.
6.
Transfer to a wire rack; let cool completely.
8.
Have all the ingredients at room temperature.
9.
Put the chocolate in the top pan of a double boiler set over but not touching simmering water in the bottom pan. Stir until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Let cool to room temperature.
10.
In a large bowl combine the confectioners' sugar, butter, the 6 Tbs. milk, the vanilla and salt and beat with an electric mixer on low speed until combined, about 1 minute. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Increase the speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes, then reduce the speed to low.
11.
Reserve about a 1/2 cup of the frosting at this point to make the laces
12.
Add the chocolate gradually and beat until combined, then increase the speed to medium and beat for 1 minute more.
13.
If the frosting is dry, add more milk, 1 tsp. at a time, until it is creamy but still holds peaks.
15.
Using a small star tip in a pastry bag, zig-zag the chocolate frosting in a diamond shape on the cooled cupcakes. Then put the reserved vanilla frosting into a bag with a small round tip and pipe on the laces.
By
Jalen Clark
