Okay so this may not be the best way to start out the New Year, to tempt you with sweet deliciousness, but they turned out so well I had to share! I did use some organic ingredients but with sugar it really doesn’t make any difference.  Sugar makes you fat, period.  So proceed at your own risk!  I made these for a New Years Eve party and they were a hit!  I will add notes as I go on what I could have done to make these more healthy.

CHOCOLATE SOUR CREAM CUPCAKE BATTER

3 oz unsweetened chocolate, chopped (obviously organic would have been best but I couldn’t find it!)

1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour (whole wheat would have been better but I was worried how it would turn out)

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature (I used raw which is what you should do!)

1 1/4 cups sugar (rapadura would be the best but it’s very hard to come by!)

2 large eggs (got this one right too with pasture raised eggs)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract (organic)

1/2 cup sour cream (I haven’t found raw yet but that would be best)

1/2 cup water

Put the chocolate in a heat proof bowl or the top of a double boiler and place it over, but not touching, a saucepan of barely simmering water (or the bottom of the double boiler).

Stir until chocolate is melted and smooth.  Remove from the water and set aside to cool slightly.

Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a medium bowl and set aside.

In a large bowl, using an electric mixer (yay I get to use the big blue bad ass!) on medium speed, beat the butter and sugar until smoothly blended and creamy, about 2 minutes.  Stop and scrape the bowl as needed during mixing.

On low speed, mix in the melted chocolate.

On medium speed, add the eggs one at a time, mixing until each is blended into the batter.  Add the vanilla and beat until the mixture looks creamy and the color has lightened slightly, about 1 minute.

Mix in the sour cream until no white streaks remain.

On low speed, add half the flour mixture, mixing just to incorporate it.  Mix in the water.  Mix in the remaining flour mixture until the matter looks smooth.

The batter is ready to bake! Position a rack in the middle of the oven.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Line 12 muffin tin cups with paper cupcake liners.

Fill each paper liner with a generous 1/3 cup of batter, to about 1/8 inch below the top of the liner.

Bake until the tops feel firm and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 20 minutes.  Cool cupcakes for 10 minutes in the pan on a wire rack.

Use a small knife to loosen any tops that have stuck to the top of the pan.  Carefully place the wire rack on top of the cupcakes in their pan.  Protecting your hands with pot holders and holding the pan and rack together, invert them to release the cupcakes onto the wire rack.  Turn the cupcakes top side up to cool completely. (I just stuck a fork under each cupcake and took it out with that so I didn’t ruin the top of the cakes).

ICING

2 1/2 cups powdered sugar (there is no healthy option here, sadly)

1/4 cup unsalted butter

6 tablespoons water

1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract

1/2 cup crushed peppermint candy

Sift the powdered sugar into a large bowl.  Heat the butter and water in a small saucepan over medium-low heat until the better melts.

Remove pan from heat and stir in peppermint extract.  Pour the warm mixture over the powdered sugar,

then whisk vigorously until smooth. The icing will be soft but thick enough to cling to the top of the cupcakes.

Use a small spatula to spread a scant 2 tablespoons of icing over the top of each cupcake, spreading carefully to the edges.  Leaving about 3/4-inch plain edge, sprinkle  about 2 teaspoons of the crushed candy over each cupcake.  The cupcake can be covered and stored at room temperature for up to 3 days.

I had some problems with these guys. When I’ve made this batter it’s risen up a lot more but these were very flat.  I think it had something to do with the baking powder’s age.  The frosting was very thin and slid right off the cupcake as well.  But they tasted super yummy so that’s all that counts right?  Happy baking!