Moist Cocoa Cupcakes with Chocolate Frosting

After a good break, life back here continues.  Looking forward to the series of festive public holidays and given company holiday - Dec is my favourite month of the year!  And with this good month here, mood just got better and I picked myself up to bake, again. 

Here's some cupcakes baked to celebrate my younger sister's birthday.

I prefer flat tops to work on

Simple rose swirls that needs more practising!

Dressed my cupcakes with some toppings.

More reasons these month to bake frosted cakes and improve on my piping skills :)

If you love moist chocolate cupcakes, try these :)

Moist Cocoa Cupcakes with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
(Makes 14 to 16 small cupcakes)

90g plain flour
45g cocoa powder
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
160 brown sugar
80ml olive oil
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup buttermilk (If you do not have buttermilk on hand,  mix 120ml milk with 1.5 tsp of vinegar or lemon juice. Allow it to sit for at least 5min before use.)


1. Preheat oven to 180deg C. Line muffin tray with cupcake liners and set aside.

2. Sift plain flour, baking powder, baking soda and cocoa powder and set aside.

3. Place olive oil, brown sugar and vanilla extract in a bowl and mix well, then add in eggs and whisk till well mixed.

4. Pour in buttermilk and whisk well. Add in sifted flour mixture and fold in gently till not much big lumps of flour are visible.

5. Spoon mixture into cupcake liners till just half full and put to bake for 18 to 20 min. (For my Rowenta oven, I baked them at 175deg C for 17min) To test readiness, insert a toothpick into centre of cupcake, cake is done when inserted toothpick comes out clean with no sticky mixture.

6. Remove cupcakes from oven and set to cool on cooling rack before use.

7. Pipe chocolate frosting on cakes when cooled and decorate with your favourite sprinkles!


Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

80g dark converture chocolate
115g unsalted butter, softened
50g icing sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
A pinch of salt

1. Melt dark converture chocolate in a double boiler (bain marie) and set aside to cool before use.

2. Cream butter and icing sugar till white and fluffy. Add in vanilla extract and salt and mix well.

3. Add in the cooled melted chocolate and mix till well combined.

4. Add more icing sugar (if required) to attain desired consistency for frosting. I do not need a thick and sturdy frosting, and did not want it to be super sweet, hence I left out on more icing sugar (and it was still sweet!)