October 18 marks National Chocolate Cupcake Day. To celebrate, Billy Reece, owner of Billy’s Bakery in New York City, was invited on the “Today” show to share his renowned recipes.
Recipe: Simple Chocolate Buttercream (on this page) Recipe: Chocolate Cupcakes (on this page)Cream (with hand or stand mixer):
4 sticks butter (16 ounces) until light and fluffy, approximately 5 minutes
Melt (in microwave or double boiler):
12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
Set aside and allow to cool for approximately 20 minutes. After chocolate has cooled, add it to the creamed butter and mix on low speed until just combined. Scrape sides of bowl then …
Add:
2-3/4 cups confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
On low speed of a hand or stand mixer, mix until fully incorporated; no confectioners' sugar should be visible. Mixture should be smooth and medium brown in color.
Do not refrigerate; use immediately or store in airtight container for up to 2 days.
Yields 24 to 27 cupcakes
Note: In this recipe, measurements for dry ingredients are given both by volume (cups) and by weight (ounces). Professional chefs tend to use weight measures, while home cooks usually use volume.
Cream:
2 sticks unsalted butter (8 ounces)
1 cup granulated sugar (7 ounces)
1 cup light brown sugar (7-3/4 ounces)
Add:
4 large eggs (one at a time)
6 ounces unsweetened chocolate (chocolate should be melted, then cooled for approximately 15 minutes before being added).
Add and alternate:
2 cups cake flour (9-1/4 ounces)
1 teaspoon baking soda
With:
1 cup buttermilk (room temperature)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Place cupcake paper into each cup of 2 muffin pans (each pan yielding 12 muffins). Then fill each cup with 1 leveled off scoop of an ice cream scooper.
Bake at 350 degrees in regular oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until tester comes out clean.
Yields 24 to 27 cupcakes
© 2013 MSNBC Interactive. Reprints
Melissa d’Arabian shares how LACTAID® helped her entire family fully enjoy dairy.
Producers are on location, scouting out the very best things to see and do in Hawaii, Yellowstone, Chicago, Orlando and the Jersey Shore.
Residents in downtown Wichita, Kan., were told to seek shelter Sunday after a tornado was confirmed on the ground – with its presence hidden by heavy rainfall.
“ ”