Chocoholic
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[Photograph: Yvonne Ruperti]

These super moist Valentine's Day-perfect cupcakes are topped with a luxurious white chocolate cream cheese frosting.

Notes: Don't skip the step of stirring the baking soda into the vinegar first, or the cupcakes will over-rise. If the frosting is too loose to frost, chill briefly until thickened.

This recipe is adapted from a recipe by Georgetown Cupcake.

About the Author: Yvonne Ruperti is a food writer, recipe developer, former bakery owner, and author of The Complete Idiot's Guide To Easy Artisan Bread. You can also watch her culinary stylings on the America's Test Kitchen television show. She presently lives in Singapore working on her new baking cookbook, and as a recipe developer for HungryGoWhere Singapore. Check out her blog: shophousecook.com . Follow Yvonne on Twitter.

Every recipe we publish is tested, tasted, and Serious Eats-approved by our staff. Never miss a recipe again by following @SeriousRecipes on Twitter!

About This Recipe

Yield: serves 12
Active time: 30 minutes
Total time: 2 hours
Special equipment: mixer, 12-cup muffin tin, cupcake liners

Ingredients

  • 1 3/4 cup (8 3/4 ounces) all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon cocoa
  • 10 tablespoons (5 ounces) unsalted butter, softened, divided
  • 1/2 cup plus 1/3 cup (about 6 ounces) granulated sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tablespoon red food coloring
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, divided
  • 3/4 cup milk
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 3/4 teaspoon vinegar
  • 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 3 cups (12 ounces) confectioners' sugar, sifted
  • 3 ounces white chocolate, melted and cooled slightly
  • 1/4 cup red sugar for garnish

Procedures

  1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Line muffin tin with cupcake liners.

  2. Sift flour and cocoa into small bowl; set aside. Using mixer, cream 6 tablespoons butter, granulated sugar, and salt on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in egg, red food coloring, and 1 teaspoon vanilla until combined.

  3. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture, alternating with milk, until combined.

  4. In small bowl, stir baking soda into vinegar and let fizz. Immediately stir into batter. Divided batter between cupcake cups and bake until just firm, about 17 minutes. Let cool in pan 5 minutes, then transfer cupcakes to wire rack to cool completely before frosting, about an hour.

  5. Make frosting: Using mixer, beat cream cheese, remaining 4 tablespoons butter, and confectioners' sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in vanilla and white chocolate until just combined. Frost cupcakes and sprinkle with red sugar.