It’s been years now that I’ve spent researching chocolate cake recipes. I know, what a hard task, you say. I am not a chocolate person by nature, so this whole research thing proved a bit difficult and required many taste testers.

And it only took years because I can’t make chocolate cake every day for consecutive weeks. I couldn’t, that is, until I happened upon this recipe.

Recently an occasion arised (it was the superbowl) and I found myself all for the dark stuff (chocolate). I needed dark cupcakes in gold foil wrappers with little fleur de lis, not because I am a full saints fan but because I went to a saints party. Apparently these cupcakes are not only delicious, but also magical as the saints went on to win.

Chocolate cake needs to be moist and devilishly dark and rich.

It needs to be topped with a creamy frosting. If you love nutella then you will love the frosting I used. Who doesn’t want a winning cupcake?

Chocolate Cupcakes with Creamy Hazelnut Frosting

Ingredients:

for the cupcakes:

• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 2 large eggs at room temperature
• 3/4 cup warm water
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

for the frosting:

• 3/4 cup unsalted butter (room temp)
• 3-4 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1/2  teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 1/2 cup nutella or other hazelnut spread

How To:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners.

Sift together cocoa powder, flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into a medium bowl. Combine sugar and oil. Add eggs, one at a time. Add warm water, buttermilk, and vanilla and mix until smooth. Slowly add dry ingredients. Scrape down the sides and bottom of bowl, mixing batter until combined.

Fill each muffin cup about 2/3 full and bake for about 20 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.

To make frosting, combine butter, 1 cup of the confectioners’ sugar, vanilla, almond extract, milk and nutella in a medium bowl and mix with a hand mixer, slowly adding the rest of the confectioners’ sugar. Beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Spread onto cooled cupcakes. Makes about 24 cupcakes, enough to share with friends…