Chocolate Cupcakes with Vanilla Bean Buttercream

Last week, I nearly pulled my hair out working on a silly essay for one of my Comp. & Lit. classes, and considering it had been a good while since I had been in the kitchen, I knew a good couple of hours of baking would alleviate some stress.

I have completely given up on any of the recipes that come from the Magnolia Bakery book.  All of their cupcakes end up coming out so dry and crumbly - they never retain any of that moisture I want with cupcakes.  Graham had recently been scoping out Martha Stewart's website for craft ideas, and I decided to have a little gander myself. 

I think I have crossed over into the magical realm of Martha Stewart.  I discovered a perfect recipe for "Chocolate Cupcakes with Vanilla Bean Buttercream" for which I fell absolutely head-over-heels.  Plus, they stayed moist for a good while - which is a plus!

Ingredients:

2 3/4 c. cake flour (not self-rising)

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

2 1/2 c. sugar

1 c. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temp.

6 oz. unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled back down to room temp.

4 extra-large eggs

1 Tbsp. + 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

1 c. sour cream

1 c. water

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line 40 standard muffin cups with cupcake liners and set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together sugar and butter until light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Add chocolate and beat on medium speed until well combined, 1 to 2 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add sour cream and vanilla and mix until well combined, 1 to 2 minutes.
4. With mixer on low speed, add flour mixture in three parts, alternating the parts with your 1 cup water and beginning and ending with flour; beat until just combined, 1 to 3 minutes.
5. Fill prepared muffin cups three-quarters full with batter. Transfer to oven and bake for 10 minutes. Rotate muffin pans and continue baking until a cake tester inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean, about 10 minutes more. Let cool completely before frosting.

**As I'm sure you know, cut ingredients in half if 40 cupcakes seems like too many.  I went overboard, as usual.

Frosting Ingredients:

2 cups (4 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into small pieces

3 1/2 c. confectioners' sugar (It often isn't necessary to add ALL this sugar.  I taste with each cup  I add so I don't go overboard on sweetness!)

Pinch of salt

1 vanilla bean, scraped

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

1/4 c. milk

Directions:

     1.  In the bowl of an electric mixer, fitted with a paddle (if you have one), beat butter until creamy. 

          Slowly add confectioners' sugar; beat to combine, scraping down sides of bowl as necessary.

     2.  Add vanilla bean seeds and vanilla extract, and beat to combine.  Slowly add milk and continue

          beating on medium-low speed until smooth and creamy, about 5 minutes.

If you're experienced with baking and icing, disregard.  But remember to let the cakes cool completely before trying to put this icing on - it doesn't retain its shape and slumps, which isn't pretty.  These turned out so well, though!  They stayed moist for a good few days!  I would definitely make this recipe again, especially for a special occasion.  The taste was spot on!