Small-Batch Chocolate Wedding Cupcakes
When a friend asks me for a modest tray of wedding cupcakes, this is the recipe I reach for because it makes exactly twelve — no leftover batter to snack on, no half-empty bowls. The crumb is deep cocoa and buttermilk tender, and the swirled buttercream holds its shape on a buffet table in a humid reception hall.
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
- ¾ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp fine salt
- ½ cup buttermilk, room temperature
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- ½ tsp pure vanilla extract
- ½ cup freshly boiled water
- For the buttercream: ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 3 tbsp heavy cream
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
Method
- Heat the oven to 350°F and line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt until there are no cocoa lumps.
- Add the buttermilk, oil, egg, and vanilla; whisk until smooth and glossy, about 1 minute.
- Pour in the boiled water and stir gently — the batter will be very thin, and that's exactly what keeps these cupcakes moist.
- Divide the batter evenly among the liners, filling each about two-thirds full.
- Bake 16 to 19 minutes, until the tops spring back when lightly pressed and a toothpick comes out with just a few moist crumbs.
- Cool in the tin 5 minutes, then transfer the cupcakes to a rack and cool completely, about 45 minutes.
- Beat the softened butter until pale and creamy, then add the powdered sugar in two additions with the cream and vanilla, beating on medium until fluffy.
- Pipe or spread the buttercream onto the fully cooled cupcakes and let the swirls set 20 minutes before arranging on a platter.
This recipe is part of the new recipes section, added to replace the original blog pages that were not preserved in the archive.