Chocolate Easter Cupcakes

When springtime rolls around, I am more than ready to say goodbye to the dreary cold of winter. I’m ready for warmer temperatures. I also crave color: flowers, green grass, and bright, beautiful leaves on trees. Easter always coincides beautifully with spring, not just with its messages of rebirth and growth, but with the vibrant colors used in decorative eggs and confections. I love using Easter candy to add flourishes to holiday desserts. It’s easy, inexpensive and impressive to look at without any extra work. These Chocolate Easter Cupcakes are moist, flavorful, and they’re a perfect addition to any Easter celebration. I recommend using a kitchen scale for best results (especially with flour), which is why the recipe has both weight and volume measurements. These are best served at room temperature.

Chocolate Easter Cupcakes

Prep Time: 1 hour | Cook Time: 25 minutes | Makes 12 cupcakes Cupcakes:

• 3 1/2 oz (3/4 cup) Bob’s Red Mill All Purpose Flour
• 1 oz (1/4 cup) unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 3/4 cup heavy cream (or half and half), room temperature
• 1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 4 1/2 oz (9 Tbsp) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 8 oz (1 cup) granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs, room temperature

Frosting:

• 5 oz (1 1/4 cups) confectioners’ sugar
• 2 oz (1/2 cup) unsweetened cocoa powder
• 6 oz (12 Tbsp) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream, room temperature, divided
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 Tbsp chocolate syrup, room temperature

Topping:

• 36 mini pastel chocolate eggs

Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a large 12 cup muffin pan with cupcake liners (note: a bit of cooking spray inside the liners is optional, but will help prevent the cupcakes from sticking to the paper). In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sifted cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. In a liquid measuring cup, combine the cream and vanilla. Set both aside. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar together on medium-high speed for 3-5 minutes until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides and mix for another 10 seconds to incorporate anything that was missed. With the mixer on low speed, add the eggs one at a time, allowing each egg to incorporate completely before adding the next. Scrape down the sides once more and mix for an additional 10 seconds to incorporate anything that was missed. With the mixer on medium speed, alternate between adding the dry and wet ingredients until everything is just combined. Scrape down the bowl all the way to the bottom to make sure there are no patches of flour or butter. Turn the mixer back on medium speed for another 30 seconds. Evenly distribute the batter between the liners, evening out the tops slightly. Bake for 22-25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean from one of the center cupcakes. Allow to cool completely. Frosting: Sift the confectioners’ sugar and cocoa powder together through a fine mesh strainer to remove any lumps. Place the butter in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, and mix on high speed for several minutes until light and fluffy. Turn the speed down to medium-low and slowly add the sugar cocoa mixture, in batches, until completely incorporated. Scrape down the sides, turn the speed up to medium, and slowly add the cream, vanilla, and chocolate syrup. Once all the ingredients have been added, turn the mixer up to high speed and mix for another 30-60 seconds to fluff up the frosting (and add some air to the whipping cream). To frost the cupcakes, place the buttercream in a pastry bag with a decorative tip of choice. Pipe the buttercream evenly onto each cupcake. Gently press 3 mini eggs onto each cupcake, just enough to secure them in place without disturbing the frosting. Serve cupcakes at room temperature. Jennifer Farley is the writer, food photographer, and stylist behind Savory Simple, a blog dedicated to everyday gourmet recipes for the home cook. Jennifer graduated from the Culinary Arts program at L’Academie de Cuisine in Gaithersburg, MD and has worked professionally as a line cook, pastry chef, and cooking instructor. She currently works as a full time recipe developer and food photographer in Washington DC, where she lives with her husband, Jeff. Her work has been featured by Parade Magazine, Bon Appetit, Food52, The Kitchn, and Food & Wine. Her second cookbook, The Gourmet Kitchen, will be released in 2016.