Eggless chocolate cupcakes or choco-chip muffins

Sometimes we are so busy worrying about the complex problems that we completely miss-out of the little quick-wins. This philosophy manifested itself in the truest form when someone asked me if I have the basic eggless chocolate cake/cupcake recipe on my blog and as simple as it may sound, it was NOT one of the 100 recipes I have documented so far.

I immediately decided to pen down this all-time-charm recipe, fail proof and super quick to make. I have used this recipe in half (to make 6 cupcakes) or doubled the amount (to make 24 cupcakes). It works just as well, as long as you maintain the exact ratio of all ingredients. Also, I have used this recipe for frosted cupcakes and non-frosted choco-chip muffins, works wonders for both varieties.

Ingredients:

For the cupcakes:

• 1.5 cup plain flour

• 1 Cup and 1 tablespoons powdered sugar

• 1/2 cup cocoa powder

• 3/4th cup buttermilk (or milk with juice of 1 lime)

• 1/4th cup curds

• 1/2 cup melted butter (or oil and butter half and half)

• 2 teaspoon Vanilla essence

• 1/2 cup Hot water

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• 0.5 teaspoon baking soda

• 0.5 teaspoon salt

• 1 teaspoon instant coffee powder (optional)

• 1/2 cup chocolate chips (Optional)

For chocolate frosting:

1. 1 cup whipping cream, approx 200 grams

2. 3-4 table spoons icing sugar

3. 0.5 cup Dark chocolate

4. 1 tablespoon cocoa

5. Sprinkles to decorate

Method:

1. Line 12 cupcake liners with paper liners and pre heat the oven at 180 degrees

2. Boil water and mix in cocoa powder, making a runny paste. If using coffee, add the same to this hot water cocoa paste. Instant coffee bring out the rich taste of chocolate without overpowering it

3. In a bowl, sift together flour, salt, baking powder and soda

4. Add butter milk and curds together and stir

5. Cream butter/oil and sugar till pale, for about 2-3 minutes

6. Add flour and buttermilk alternately, lightly whisking in without over beating

7. Add hot cocoa paste and finish with remaining flour. Fold in the batter

8. Add vanilla essence

9. If using chocolate chips, fold in half of the chips in the batter and sprinkle the remaining half on top of the cupcakes

10. Pour batter in 12 cupcake molds, using 1/2 cup measures to get even distribution

11. Bake at 180 degrees for 20-22 minutes

Frosting:

1. Cool down the cakes to room temperature before frosting

2. In a double boiler, melt chocolate. Add cocoa powder once chocolate has melted. If the cocoa makes it very stiff, add 1 spoon of cream to make it slightly runny, keep aside

3. Whip cream, starting at low speed and gradually increasing speed till you have soft peaks

4. Add icing sugar and continue to whip

5. Add cocoa/chocolate mixture, reduce the speed of beater and continue to whip till stiff peaks form

6. Pipe on the cupcakes using 1mm star tip nozzle