Coconut milk chocolate cupcakes

I needed some chocolate therapy this weekend so when a friend of mine passed along a recipe for chocolate cake with the subject line “OMG best cake ever” I had to give it a try. Thanks Jessie!

This recipe for Double-Deep-Chocolate Hanukkah Layer Cake from Gourmet makes for tasty cupcakes. The batter came together fast and filled 28+ cupcakes. (I did 20 then a small-sized loaf for a neighbor.) These are the moistest chocolate cupcakes you’ll ever eat! Even if you’re not a coconut fan, don’t worry, the flavor is slight.

I upped the flavor of the coconut in the frosting with coconut extract.

Recipe

Prep time: 30 minutes + baking

Servings: 28 cupcakes

Ingredients:

Cupcakes

3/4 cup vegetable oil plus more for greasing pans
3/4 cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch-process) plus more for dusting pans + 2 tsps. dark cocoa powder (you can also use Espresso powder or my favorite, Black onyx powder)
1 cup water
3/4 cup well-stirred canned unsweetened coconut milk (I use the 14-oz. Light Coconut Milk can from Trader Joe’s)
3 large eggs, warmed in shell in warm water 5 minutes
1 1/2 tsps. pure vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 3/4 cups sugar
2 tsps. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda

3/4 tsp. salt

Frosting

Remaining canned coconut milk (about 1 cup)

2 cups semi-sweet chocolate morsels

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 tsp. coconut extract (opt.)

4 tbsps. butter

Pinch of salt

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a large bowl, whisk the oil, water, eggs, coconut milk, and vanilla.
3. In another bowl, stir together the flour, cocoa, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
4. Blend the wet ingredients into the dry until smooth.
5. Fill cupcake holders 2/3 of the way full.
6. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until cooked through.

Frosting

1. Microwave all of the frosting ingredients except the vanilla in a glass measuring cup for 1 minute on high.
2. Stir and continue microwaving at 30-second intervals until the chocolate is smooth; stir in the vanilla.
3. The frosting will be thin; cool it in the refrigerator until it gets thick enough to spread on the cupcakes.