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Sour Cream Chocolate Cupcakes Recipe

Yvonne Ruperti
Published: Last Updated:
Sour Cream Chocolate Cupcakes Recipe

So rich. [Photograph: Yvonne Ruperti]

I will never get tired of a good chocolate cupcake, and this borderline too-rich-for-kids version is one of my favorites. These chocolate cupcakes are so rich and chocolatey, they're almost poisonous. And it's so easy (just whisk up the batter in a bowl), that resistance is futile.

The moist and tender oil based cake starts with coffee, melted bittersweet chocolate, and sour cream, before flour and a generous amount of cocoa are whisked in. As they're removed from the oven and the waft of chocolate hits your face, you'll have to dig deep not to pull apart a warm chocolatey cupcake from its paper wrapper and shove it down your face (I failed). But if you can wait...

Top it off with even more chocolate: a smooth pudding-thick bittersweet ganache made even more indulgent with a few tablespoons of sour cream. Serve up a platter of these to make some new friends, heal a broken heart, or pour a big glass of milk and scarf them up yourself.

  • Yield:Makes 12 cupcakes
  • Active time: 15 minutes
  • Total time:1 1/2 hours
  • Rated: 4.6666666666667

Ingredients

  • 7 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped, divided
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sour cream, divided
  • 1/3 cup hot coffee
  • 1 cup (7 ounces) granulated sugar
  • 1/3 cup canola oil
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 3/4 cup (3 3/4 ounces) all purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup cocoa
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Directions

  1. 1.

    Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat to 350°F. Melt 6 ounces chocolate and cream in heatproof bowl over a pan of barely simmering water, and stir until mixture is melted and smooth. Remove from heat and whisk in 2 tablespoons sour cream. Set frosting aside to thicken while cupcakes are prepared.

  2. 2.

    Line cupcake pan with paper liners. Place remaining 1 ounce chocolate in large bowl and stir in hot coffee to melt. Whisk in remaining 1/2 cup sour cream, sugar, oil, egg, and vanilla until combined. Add flour, cocoa, salt, baking soda, and baking powder to the bowl and then whisk until smooth.

  3. 3.

    Divide batter between cups and bake until center is just firm, about 17 minutes. Let cupcakes cool in pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to cooling rack. When completely cool, top with chocolate frosting.

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