There were times I was wondering why some people leave the comfort of their houses to write or read in a coffee shop. You see them everywhere. In Starbucks, in the small coffee shops just around the corner. I never understood what pushes a person to do that.
Until I become one of them. I’m not in a small coffee shop but at my local McDonald’s. A coffee, a cup of water and my laptop. And I’m not alone. Three other people are doing the same thing. Probably there would be more of us if there were few more available outlets.
We all live in an area with no power since Friday. The temperature in our houses is somewhere around 85F, way better than the outside 100F. The highest we had this weekend was 112F. The powerful storms left close to 1 million houses in the dark.
No power and no hope. Electric companies say it may take few more days to a week until the power is restored. It was written even on the front page of the Sunday Post.
Yesterday we spent most of the day driving from one hotel to another. After 20 overbooked hotels we gave up.
The lady at the table near me is searching Expedia. I want to tell her I already did that. Travelocity also.
No luck. Tonight we have to sleep again in an overheated house.
When everything else fails we eat chocolate.
Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Frosting.
I can’t let them go bad, can I?
These cupcakes are one of the richest chocolate cupcakes I’ve made so far. If I had some heavy cream on hand to make a chocolate ganache instead of the chocolate buttercream would have been a heavenly chocolate treat.
Don’t get me wrong, they were good and I didn’t hear anyone complain but I’m not a big buttercream fan so I had chosen ganache instead.
The addition of yogurt kept them moist longer, not that they last too long anyhow.
It requires a little bit of time to make them since you have to wait for the melted chocolate to cool, or the eggs will start to cook before getting in the oven.
I slightly adapted the recipe from Desserts all around the year.
I made cupcakes instead of a layered cake and, Greek non fat yogurt (Chobani) instead of sour cream, and substituted self rising flour with all purpose flour, baking powder and salt.
One of the richest chocolate cupcakes I've made so far, topped with a creamy chocolate buttercream.
Ingredients
- 8 oz (225 grams) bittersweet/dark chocolate (chips or chunks) (I used Baker's)
- 1/2 cup (113 grams) butter
- 2/3 cup milk
- 1 1/4 (250 grams) sugar
- 2 eggs separated
- 2/3 cup non fat Greek yogurt (I used Chobani)
- 2 cups (240 grams) all purpose flour
- 1 tbsp. baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 cups (340 grams) soft butter
- 4 1/2 cups (540 grams) powder sugar
- 1 1/2 cup (120 grams) cocoa powder
- 4-5 tbsp milk
Instructions
- Add the chocolate, butter and milk to a medium saucepan. Heat over medium heat until melted and smooth stirring constantly. Beat in the sugar and cool. I took the quick road and place it in the refrigerator, stirring occasionally.
- Meanwhile heat the oven to 350F and line an 18 cupcake pan with paper liners.
- In a small bowl mix the egg yolks with the yogurt.
- In another bowl sift the flour with baking powder and salt.
- In a grease free bowl, whisk the egg whites until stiff peaks (they should point straight up without collapsing. My mom used to turn the bowl upside down)
- When the chocolate mixture is cooled, put it into a mixing bowl with the paddle attachment on beat in the egg yolk mixture followed by the flour. Remove the bowl from the mixer and with a spatula slowly fold in the whipped egg whites.
- Scoop the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 18 minutes or until soft to the touch and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
- Cool for 5 minutes in the pan before removing and completely before frosting.
- In a bowl sift together the powder sugar and cocoa.
- Add the butter to a mixing bowl. With the whisk attachment on, whip the butter on medium to high speed for about 5 minutes, stopping once to scrape the sides of the bowl.
- Reduce the speed to low and slowly add the sugar little by little waiting until it is mostly incorporated before adding more.
- Once all of the powdered sugar has been added, scrape the sides of the bowl, add the milk and increase the speed to medium-high and whip until fluffy for about 2 minutes. If needed add more milk
Notes
To degrease a bowl, wipe it with a paper towel soaked in vinegar to remove any grease traces. Wipe it again with another clean paper towel or just let it dry all my itself.
If you do not have another bowl for your mixer or two mixers, after you whipped the egg whites move them to another grease free bowl while you make the chocolate batter.
Sending love your way,
Roxana
{ 31 comments… read them below or add one }
A couple years ago we lost electricy because of a huge storm for 5 days…I completely understand what you’re going through! I hope the power is back on soon, and in the meantime try to stay cool, my friend.
Your cupcakes are beautiful…I love double chocolate!
I hope your power is restored shortly, Roxana! Stay safe & cool this week.
Thanks for sharing these beautiful cupcakes with us. Chocolate on chocolate is always a good thing!
Oh Roxana, a few days in this heat without power?! I am thinking of you guys. You could get in your car and drive to CO if you want – we have AC!! Can’t imagine going through that with a little one. Make sure you run through the sprinkler to cool down
The cupcakes are gorgeous, and you can never go wrong with chocolate and chocolate!
Gorgeous cupcakes! I hope you get power back soon – how awful!
Absolutely gorgeous, Roxana! The frosting sounds to die for!
Looks absolutely delicious! I reckon I could eat about 50 of them in one sitting!
Oh I hope you get power soon. I lost power last year for 5 days. We hung out at Barnes and Noble and Panera bread. Your cupcakes look gorgeous. They would take my mind off of the troubles of no power for a bit.
I love reading in coffee shops, but with the power out and no AC, I’d be there in a heartbeat! Gorgeous cupcakes, Rox.
Roxana, I am sorry to hear about your electricity outage. That is no fun at all. Sending hugs your way. Those cupcake liners are adorable by the way!
I really hope they are able to get your power back very soon!!!! Ok, these cupcakes are absolutely fabulous!!! I love that you used different colored wrappers and I love how bright the photos are…and I love chocolate cupcakes!!!! Beautiful!!!
Poor thing, I heard about that on the news. At least you had chocolate cupcakes, I think they would have to help even if it’s a tiny bit. I hope you get your power back soon and that you have a great holiday.
-Gina-
UGH….no power at the hottest time of the year, just stinks! I hope you all are doing okay now, and are staying cool:-) I agree, can’t waste those pretty little cupcakes. They look delicious! Hugs, Terra
I’m so sorry you’ve been without power. I’m nervous it’s going to happen here because of the severe heat too. Love these cupcakes – I think you’re the best cupcake ‘piper’ I’ve ever had the pleasure of gawking
These cupcakes are gorgeous, and the frosting is so fluffy and inviting. Yum!
Chocolate always makes things better, and cupcakes always make me smile! I hope the electric company has finally gotten your power back on, I can’t imagine being without electric for that long.
Hope your power is restored soon. I’m with you don’t let those beauties go to waste. I would have gobbled them up all myself!
oh i have felt that pain before my friend. After the hurricane that hit Houston a few years back and we had no power for a week and no hotels to go to! I am thinking though you are doing such an amazing job getting through it! Thinking of you and loving these cupcakes
They look so delicious, I would eat them all! Hope your power is restored.
Oh, gosh, I’m so sorry you were part of the many who suffered with no power in the horrible heat. I hope all is back to normal by now. Your cupcakes look just perfect…and I think you know we’d go nuts for them here. Just beautiful.
i hope that you are doing great by now! Those cupcakes make me drool for real Roxy! Beautiful pics..they are just wow! And that piping well…i need some classes to do that! you are very talented!
Nice photos!! Delicious!
Chocolate is my power factor
I must try this recipe…
Love how you piped the frosting – it is perfect! These are 2 to 3 bite wonders of chocolate – my mouth is watering. Delish!!!
Absolutely delicious looking cupcakes and my favorite. Your frosting looks perfectly whipped and creamy. I always enjoy your presentation and photos just beautiful!
These cupcakes are sooooo difficult to look at before bed
Yum!!
oh no.. hope things worked out fine.. that frosting is gorgeous
Beautiful food styling! These look delicious.
Sorry to hear about your power outage! Hopefully, you’re back up and running by this time? You deserve a treat like these decadent choco cupcakes with choco frosting! They look so delicious!
Looks very yunmy
Can you replace the chocolate with cocoa powder? If so how much and would it taste as good?
Hi Dani,
I haven’t made the cupcakes without chocolate, but if you don’t have any, then you may use 3 tbsp unsweetened cocoa + 1 tbsp butter for every 1 ounce of chocolate (if you replace all you’ll need 24 tbsp cocoa and 8 tbsp butter). Please let me know how it turns out.
Roxana
Hi there,
Just used this recipe for an event today and was told by everybody they were really good, unfortunately I missed out on trying one as they all went too quick so must make another batch soon!!
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