Small Batch Chocolate Cupcakes with Goat Cheese Frosting
 
Hands-on time
Cook time
Total time
 
Author:
Yields: 8 cupcakes
Ingredients
For the cupcakes:
  • 1/2 cup boiling water
  • 1/3 cup Hershey's cocoa powder
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 cup sifted cake flour (or use Joy The Baker's method for turning all-purpose flour into cake flour)
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1/4 tsp kosher salt
  • 6 Tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
For the frosting:
  • 5-6 oz goat cheese, slightly softened*
  • 4 Tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
For the cupcakes:
  1. Preheat oven to 350. Place cupcake liners in 8 cups of a cupcake tin.
  2. In a small bowl, whisk together boiling water and cocoa powder. Set aside until cooled to room temperature. (Place in fridge or freezer for quicker cooling.)
  3. In another small bowl, whisk together egg and vanilla. Once chocolate mixture is at room temperature, whisk 1/4 of it into the egg mixture.
  4. In the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large bowl), sift together cake flower and baking soda. Stir in sugar and salt. Add the butter and remaining chocolate mixture (the one without the egg). Beat on medium speed until the batter is a big fudgy mass. (If mixture is still dry with chunks of butter, your butter is too cold. Microwave the mixture - not in a metal bowl! - for 15 seconds, then continue beating.) Continue beating for another 1-2 minutes to develop the batter's structure.
  5. Add egg mixture 1/3 at a time, beating to incorporate and scraping down the sides between each addition. The batter should be very smooth and stiff.
  6. Spoon batter into lined cupcake tins, filling about 3/4 of the way.
  7. Bake on the center rack of the oven for 16-18 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out with moist crumbs. Place on a cookie rack and cool fully before frosting.
For the frosting:
  1. Beat together goat cheese and butter until smooth. Add vanilla and sift in powdered sugar. Beat until fully incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl. Refrigerate until ready to use.
  2. Spread frosting on top of cooled cupcakes. Enjoy!
Notes
*Goat cheese should be colder than room temperature; you can remove it from the fridge a half hour or so before making your frosting. Warm goat cheese will make your frosting too soft.
Adapted from The Cake Bible by Rose Levy Beranbaum.
Recipe by Coffee & Quinoa at https://www.coffeeandquinoa.com/2014/03/small-batch-chocolate-cupcakes-with-goat-cheese-frosting/