Chocolate Cupcakes: The. Best. Ever.

Are you constantly coming up with ideas so fabulous that you slap yourself on the forehead, and say, "OMG, I am BRILLIANT!" 

Nah, me either. 

Not usually, anyway.

But I did have a good idea that led me to make the Best. Chocolate. Cupcakes. Ever. 

We were going to my cousin's house for Thanksgiving, and I was bringing dessert. I already planned to bring my Mini Pumpkin Pecan Cups, but I wanted to bring something chocolate, too.  

I was looking through my Thanksgiving dessert folder, and came across one of my favorite cake recipes...Chocolate Harvest Cake...which I clipped out of Better Homes and Gardens seven years ago. It's a moist chocolate layer cake, with pumpkin cream cheese filling in the middle, and chocolate glaze on the top.

I really wanted to make it because, as you can see from the scribbled note at the top of the recipe, it is excellent and easy.  But we were only going to be 8 people, so bringing a big cake, along with all the other desserts, would be wasteful. 

Oh, barnacles. (I cannot believe I have stooped so low as to quote SpongeBob SquarePants on my blog). I had to find something else.

But then, I thought, what if I used the cake recipe, and made it as cupcakes? I could use the chocolate glaze topping as the frosting!  I slapped myself on the forehead, and said, "Brilliant!" 

Ouch, that hurt.

I thought they were pretty fabulous.

Moist. Dense. Not overly sweet. 

So, yes, I brought them to Thanksgiving dinner. And then, I got this text from my cousin Jerry...

So you see, it's not just me saying they're the "Best Ever." 

If I haven't sold you on them yet, perhaps this will convince you...

One bowl.

No mixer.

The glaze is just as effortless; I think my dog Sadie could make it. Heat some cream, and add some chopped chocolate. Stir. 

Since Thanksgiving, I've made these a couple of times, because they don't take much longer to whip up than a box of cupcake mix, and they are oh-so-much-better. 

CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES
Recipe adapted from Better Homes and Gardens
Yield: approximately 30 cupcakes

FOR THE CAKE:
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup water
2/3 cup cooking oil
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

FOR THE GLAZE:

3/4 cup whipping cream
6 oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped

Preheat oven to 350°F.
Place paper liners in muffin tins; set aside.

To make cake, combine buttermilk, water, cooking oil, sugar, eggs, baking soda, and salt in extra large bowl. Using a large wire whisk, whisk until well combined. Add flour and cocoa powder; whisk vigorously until smooth. Fill muffin tins.

Bake for 12-18 minutes, or until tops spring back when lightly touched in center. Oven times vary, so please check accordingly.

Cool completely in muffin tins on wire rack.

To make glaze, in a saucepan, bring whipping cream just to boiling over medium-high heat. Add chocolate (do not stir). Let stand 5 minutes. Stir until smooth. Cool 15 minutes or until slightly thickened. Spoon carefully over cupcakes. If desired, chill in refrigerator until set.

Yup, these have become my "go to" cupcakes. 

In fact, I'm gonna "go to" get one right now.

Enjoy!

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