Incredibly Moist Chocolate Cupcakes

CHOCOLATE CUPCAKE BATTER

• 2 cups sugar
• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  (spoon flour into a dry-measure cup and level off)
• ¾ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 4 ounces (100 grams) unsweetened chocolate,
  cut into ¼ inch (6-mm) pieces
• 1 cup boiling water
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
• 2 large eggs
• 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
• ½ cup sour cream

CHOCOLATE FUDGE ICING

• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• ¼ cup light corn syrup
• 12 ounces (350 grams) semisweet chocolate,
  melted and cooled
• 6 tablespoons (¾ stick) unsalted butter, very soft
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Two 12-cavity muffin pans with paper liners

1. Set a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350°F (180°C).

2. For the cupcake batter, stir the sugar, flour, baking soda, and salt together in a mixing bowl. Set aside.

3. Put the cut-up chocolate in a large mixing bowl and pour the boiling water over it. Let stand for 2 minutes, then whisk until smooth. Whisk in the butter, then the eggs, one at a time, whisking after each addition until smooth. Whisk in the vanilla and sour cream.

4. Whisk in the flour and sugar mixture in 3 separate additions, whisking until smooth after each.

5. Divide the batter equally among the cavities in the pans, spooning it in. Bake the cupcakes until they are well risen and deep golden, and feel firm when pressed in the center with a fingertip, about 20 minutes.

6. Cool in the pans on racks for 5 minutes, then unmold, turn right side up again, and cool completely on racks.

7. For the frosting, combine the cream and corn syrup in a small saucepan and whisk well to mix. Place over low heat and bring to a simmer. Remove from the heat and pour into a bowl to cool to lukewarm, about 110°F (45°C).

8. Add the cooled cream mixture to the melted chocolate and whisk until smooth. Distribute the butter in small pieces all over the top of the chocolate mixture, then whisk it in smoothly. Whisk in the vanilla. Cool the icing until it is firm enough to spread.

9. Use a small offset spatula to spread some of the icing on each cupcake. See Decorating Cakes & Cupcakes, page 267, for some ideas if you want to finish the cupcakes further.

Serving: These need no accompaniment.

Storage: For advance preparation, wrap and freeze the cupcakes for up to a month. Keep iced cupcakes at room temperature—the paper cases and icing keep the surface from becoming dry, but they are best on the day they are baked.