Chocolate Cupcakes

• 1 ½ cups (180g) Cake Flour (or 150g all-purpose flour minus 3 tbsp, replaced with 3 tbsp cornstarch, then sifted)
• ¾ cup (75g) Dutch-Processed Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
• 1 ¼ teaspoons (5g) Baking Soda
• ¼ teaspoon (1g) Baking Powder
• ½ teaspoon (2g) Salt
• ½ cup (113g) Unsalted Butter, softened to room temperature
• ⅓ cup (67g) Vegetable Oil
• 1 ¼ cups (250g) Granulated Sugar
• 2 large Eggs, room temperature
• 2 large Egg Yolks, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon (5ml) Vanilla Extract
• ¾ cup (180ml) Full-Fat Sour Cream, room temperature
• ½ cup (120ml) Hot, Strongly Brewed Coffee
• 2 oz (56g) Unsweetened or Bittersweet Chocolate, finely chopped, melted and slightly cooled
• Chocolate Buttercream (On a separate recipe page)

Instructions

1. 1.
   Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners.
2. 2.
   In a medium bowl, whisk together the cake flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
3. 3.
   In a separate small bowl or liquid measuring cup, combine the hot, strongly brewed coffee with the chocolate and an additional 2 tablespoons of the cocoa powder (taken from the ¾ cup in the dry ingredients list). Whisk until smooth and the cocoa is dissolved.
4. 4.
   In a large bowl with an electric mixer, cream together the room temperature unsalted butter, vegetable oil, and granulated sugar on medium speed for 3-4 minutes, until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
5. 5.
   Add the large eggs and the two egg yolks one at a time, beating well after each addition until fully incorporated. Beat in the vanilla extract and sour cream.
6. 6.
   With the mixer on low speed, add about one-third of the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, mixing just until almost combined.
7. 7.
   Then, add half of the hot coffee/cocoa/chocolate mixture, mixing until just combined. Repeat with another third of the dry ingredients, then the remaining coffee/cocoa mixture, and finally the last third of the dry ingredients. Stop mixing as soon as the last streaks of flour disappear. Do not overmix.
8. 8.
   Divide the batter evenly among the 12-14 cupcake liners, filling each about two-thirds to three-quarters full.
9. 9.
   Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a wooden skewer or toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs attached.
10. 10.
    Remove the cupcake pan from the oven and let the cupcakes cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes. Then, carefully transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.