Dark Cocoa Cupcakes
Excerpted from The Prairie Girl Cupcake Cookbook
My favorite chocolate cake is the one my mom used to make from her old Robin Hood Cookbook, so I used that for inspiration when we created our chocolate cupcake at the bakery. Both Mom’s recipe and the one we now use at Prairie Girl are dark and delicious. And did I mention this recipe is easy?! When we’re having an unexpectedly busy day at the bakery, the bakers can whip up 10 dozen minis in under an hour, but don’t try that at home!
The Prairie Girl Cupcake Cookbook by Jean Blacklock
The most decadent and delicious cupcakes imaginable, from Toronto's favorite bakery!
Hardcover
- 2 cups white sugar
- 1¾ cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup Dutch-process cocoa
- 1½ tsp baking soda
- 1½ tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup 2% milk
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup boiling water
- Preheat the oven to 350˚F.
- Combine the sugar, flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Blend on low speed for 1 minute, or until well mixed.
- With the mixer stopped, add the eggs, milk, vegetable oil, and vanilla, then beat on medium speed for about 3 minutes. Stop the mixer twice during that time to scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- With the mixer stopped again, pour in the boiling water. Blend at the lowest speed until combined, stopping the mixer once to scrape down the sides of the bowl. This batter is fairly thin.
- Place cupcake liners into the cupcake pan(s). Using a large measuring cup with a pouring lip, pour the batter into the liners. If making mini or regular cupcakes, fill each liner three-quarters full. If making Prairie Girl–size cupcakes, you can fill each liner right to the top (the “crown” in the pan allows the cupcakes to rise and not overflow).
- Bake in the preheated oven for 14 to 16 minutes for mini cupcakes, 17 to 18 minutes for the regular size, and 21 to 23 minutes for the Prairie Girl–size cupcakes. When done, the cupcakes will be rounded and the tops will spring back when lightly touched. If there is a raw circle in the center, the cupcakes need a minute or two of additional baking time.
- Let the cupcakes cool in the pan(s) for 10 minutes until they can be easily removed to a rack. Cool the cupcakes completely on the rack before icing them.
