Very Chocolate Cupcake

My godson's mother had tasked me with making cupcakes and the dessert cake for her son's 3rd birthday party. She requested for chocolate and a jungle green theme. She also added that my godchildren have recently discovered the joys of peanut butter.

Not being so adept at icing or frosting jungle animals, I told her I could do the chocolate and peanut butter part. I spent quite a bit of last week experimenting with the various recipes in my collection and the one from Dorie's book wins hands down.

Dorie starts the recipe with an introduction that suggested saving this not very sweet, close crumbed cake for adults as kids may not appreciate it as much. I adapted it slightly and figured that with the sweet frosting that I was going to add on, I couldn't go wrong pleasing both adults and children.


In addition to the chocolate cake, I also used my banana cake recipe since it would go well with both a chocolate and peanut butter frosting. I mixed the cake and frosting recipes to get 4 different combinations for the cupcakes which I then decorated in a variety of designs.

The cupcakes were a hit at the party. I think everyone loved the idea of having an individually decorated cake all for themselves. There was a cotton candy machine at the party and I had a ball of a time fulfilling a childhood fantasy of creating huge puffs of those pink sweets. Here's a shot of the cheeky birthday boy Ryan, flashing a grin with a mouthful of pizza.


Very Chocolate Cupcake
makes 15 cupcakes

1/2 cup or 1 stick butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 cup flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp instant coffee powder
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 oz bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled

Preheat the oven at 350F. Cream the butter until pale before adding in the sugar and beating until fluffy. Add in the eggs one at a time until well combined then add in the vanilla. In a separate bowl, sift the dry ingredients together. Add the sifted mixture in three additions, alternating with the buttermilk in two additions, mixing well. Scrape down the bowl and stir in the melted chocolate with a spatula until incorporated. Scoop into cupcake liners.
Bake in the oven for 22-25 minutes. Cool completely before frosting.

Chocolate Fudge Frosting
makes about 1 1/2 cups

1/2 cup or 1 stick butter
1 1/2 cups icing (confectioner's) sugar
3/4 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder
1/4 tap salt
2 tbs creme de cacao
1 tbs milk

Cream the butter then sift in the dry ingredients and mix well. Add the creme de cacao and milk then combine well. Add more milk a little at a time to get the desired consistency. Spread or pipe over cooled cupcakes. Decorate as desired

Peanut Butter Frosting
makes about 2 cups

1/2 cup or 1 stick butter
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
2 cups icing (confectioner's) sugar
1/4 tsp salt
2 tbs milk

Cream the butter and peanut butter to combine then sift in the dry ingredients and mix well. Add the milk and combine well, adding more a little at a time to get the desired consistency. Spread or pipe over cooled cupcakes. Decorate as desired.