Chocolate Cupcakes
- 24 paper cupcake liners
- 2 cups cake flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
- 8 tablespoons (1 stick) cool unsalted butter, cut into chunks
- 3⁄4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 3⁄4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs plus 1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
- 4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped, melted, and cooled
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup milk (regular, low-fat, or fat-free)
Instructions:
- Position the rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a standard 24-cup muffin tin or two 12-cup tins with the cupcake liners. If using silicone muffin tins, set them on a large baking sheet.
- Whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl; set aside.
- Use an electric mixer to beat the butter and both kinds of sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then beat in the egg yolk, melted chocolate, and vanilla until smooth.
- Beat in half the milk. Turn off the beaters, add half the flour mixture, and beat at low speed just until moistened. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, beat in the remainder of the milk, then beat in the remainder of the fl our mixture, just for a few seconds.
- Scrape down and remove the beaters. Use a rubber spatula to stir the batter a few times, just to make sure the fl our has dissolved. Spoon into the cups, filling them two-thirds full.
- Bake until puffed and slightly firm to the touch, until a toothpick or a cake tester inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean, about 30 minutes.
- Cool for 5 minutes, then unmold and cool on a wire rack to room temperature before frosting.