The most delicious cupcakes...EVER?

I found this recipe on Pinterest last night and it had so many rave reviews I thought i'd give it a try ...

I'm so glad I did because they turned out great! In fact I think I have a new favourite recipe. The secret is sour cream and oil instead of butter, which makes for a light but really moist cake. My gauge for baking greatness is usually how many my husband eats in the space of an hour and these cupcakes? it was 4! I think thats a record:)

Chocolate Cupcakes Recipe
Makes About 16

These cupcakes are from the blog 'sophisticatedgourmet.com'

Ingredients:

For the cake:
1 cup / 200 grams granulated white sugar
¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons / 105 grams all-purpose flour
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons / 30 grams unsweetened cocoa powder (natural, non-dutched), sifted
¾ teaspoon baking powder
¾ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt

1 egg, room temperature

½ cup (4.25 oz) /120 grams sour cream, room temperature

¼ cup / 45 grams sunflower oil

1 tablespoon vanilla extract (I really like the flavor of 'Homebrand' but it's totally up to you what you use)

½ cup/ 120mL boiling water.

For the frosting:
6 tablespoons / 85 grams unsalted butter, melted
½ cup / 40 grams unsweetened cocoa powder (natural, non-dutched)
¼ cup / 60mL milk
2 ¼ cups / 225 grams powdered (confectioner’s) sugar
¾ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon golden syrup / light corn syrup

Preparation:

Make the cake:
Preheat the oven to 350ºF/ 180ºC / Gas Mark 4. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners.

Now, in a large heatproof mixing bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar, all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Crack in the egg, spoon in the sour cream, and pour in the oil and the vanilla. Mix with a wooden spoon or silicon spatula just until smooth and combined. Pour in the boiling water, and slowly mix starting from the center working your way out (this makes it easier to mix without the splattering.). The batter will be liquidy, but fear not, this is normal.

Divide the batter evenly among the lined cups, using a spatula to help you scrape the bowl, filling each lined cup with 3 tablespoons of batter, about halfway full. 

Bake for 15-19 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through, until a cake tester or a wooden toothpick inserted into the center of each cupcake comes out clean.

Transfer cupcakes in pans to wire racks for about 10-minutes until the tins are cool to the touch. Once the tins are cool, remove the cupcakes from the pans, and transfer to the wire racks. Let the cupcakes cool completely before frosting.

Close up of the inside 

Make the frosting and frost the cupcakes:

In a large bowl (or in a stand mixer), combine the melted butter and cocoa powder powder until smooth. Now, alternatively mix in the milk and powdered sugar, beating (on medium speed) to spreading consistency. Add another tablespoon or so of milk, if necessary. Mix in vanilla and golden syrup / light corn syrup.

Frost the cupcakes using a small offset spatula or non-serrated butter knife, making sure to frost to the very edges (doing this is not only an excuse to have more frosting on your cupcakes–yum!, but it also helps keep the cupcakes moist), and adorn with chocolate shavings or other edible decorations of your liking.

Note on frosting the cupcakes: To frost the cupcakes, I used a small off-set spatula (can use a butter knife without a serrated edge, as pictured above) at an angle to spread the frosting smoothly around the cake. Then, I used a cake spatula to create the indent in the center. Turn 360º one way, and turn 180º in the opposite direction; lift the spatula, and that’s it. Shave some dark chocolate on top using a vegetable peeler (or you can use a microplane or one of those manual cheese graters that they use at Italian restaurants to grate parmesan), and you’re done.

Icing cupcakes like this ^ seems to be the new fashion, it's way faster and easier than using an icing bag thats for sure so I'm a fan:D

These are the ones of the lady's who's recipe I used, so simple but so pretty:D