Ultimate Chocolate Cupcakes

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup butter, unsalted
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 ounces good baking chocolate, preferably semi- or bittersweet
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 2 large egg yolks, room temperature
• 1/2 cup + 1 Tablespoon vegetable or canola oil
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup sour cream
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 cup unsweetened or Dutch-processed cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup water, room temperature

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line 16 standard-sized muffin cups with cupcake liners.
2. In a medium-sized mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, mix butter and sugar until fully combined. The end result should look like wet sand.
3. Melt the chocolate in the microwave or in a double boiler.
4. Once the melted chocolate is cool enough to touch, add it to the butter/sugar mixture and mix until just combined.
5. Mix in eggs and egg yolks one at a time until just combined.
6. Mix in oil, vanilla, and sour cream until just combined.
7. Sift together flour, salt, baking soda, and cocoa powder into a separate medium-sized bowl. Use a fork or a whisk to ensure that the ingredients are mixed well after sifting.
8. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients in three additions, mixing until just combined after each addition.
9. Mix in water until just combined.
10. Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full and put in the preheated oven.
11. Check for doneness at 18 minutes - a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake should come out clean. If they are not done, check again every three minutes until they are done.
12. Immediately remove cupcakes from the cupcake tin and place on a cooling rack or on the counter to cool to room temperature.

NOTE: If you would like to add coffee to the recipe, either add 1 teaspoon espresso powder or instant coffee granules along with the sifted dry ingredients, or replace the water with room temperature brewed coffee.