Triple Chocolate Cupcakes

I always hating making cupcakes for school when the girls were younger. I would much rather make a whole cake. I've changed my mind a little bit about that and it wasn't due to that stupid cupcake craze. I used to hate spooning the batter into the papers! I think what changed my mind was that using an ice cream scoop to portion the batter makes it easier and the cupcakes themselves are portion control (providing I don't eat several).

Triple Chocolate Cupcakes (Adapted from ???)

2 c cake flour
2/3 c cocoa powder
1 1/4 t baking soda
1/4 t salt
1 1/2 stick butter
1 3/4 c sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 t vanilla extract
1 t chocolate extract (optional)
1c buttermilk
1 c chocolate chips (feel free to be more generous)

Frosting:
7 1/2 oz bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 c heavy cream
3 T butter, cut in small cubes
Chocolate sprinkles (optional)

In a small bowl whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. In a mixer bowl beat butter until fluffy. Add sugar and beat until light and fluffy about 5 minutes.  Add eggs 1 at a time beating after each addition. Add vanilla and chocolate extracts. Add flour mixture alternating with buttermilk in 3 batches.  Beating well after each addition. Stir in chocolate chips. Using an ice cream scoop, fill lined muffin cups 2/3 full. Bake 20 - 25 minutes at 350 or until inserted toothpick comes out clean.  Cool in pans for 5 minutes and then cool completely on wire racks.

Place chocolate and cream in a glass bowl. Microwave in 20 second increments until melted. Stir until combined. Stir in several cubes of butter; stirring to incorporate. Let cool to room temperature.  Refrigerate 15 minutes. Beat in mixer  until thickened about 3 minutes. Ice or pipe onto cupcakes. Scatter sprinkles on top. Refrigerate to set icing.

I don't know where I got this recipe from. It's one of those that were clipped from some magazine. I did a search and there were a lot under it's title of Divine Devil's Food Cupcakes but none that looked like the original source.

I don't know I find with the chocolate cupcakes, you don't get that nice dome effect. They seem to spread on the top. You need to fill a little less but if you have a little spreading - no problem.  Use a pair of kitchen scissors to trim the edges. Now they're all ready for frosting and a little bonus of munching on the scraps for the chef. These little babies are moist as anything. I felt the frosting was a little skimpy - but that's me. We are talking chocolate here!