decadent dark chocolate cupcakes

Adapted from Cooks Illustrated, "American Classics 2009"

As much as I LOVE chocolate, I'm not a huge chocolate cupcake lover. However, I really enjoyed these chocolate cupcakes because they weren't overly sweet and they were incredibly moist, which always makes for a better cupcake. Considering that I took them to a party where only about 8 people partook in the cupcakes, and all of the 12 of these were eaten, along with another variety I made as well, I'm guessing everyone agreed these were pretty darned tasty.

Makes 12 cupcakes. Do not double batch.

Ingredients:
8 T unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
2 oz. bittersweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup Hershey's baking cocoa
3/4 cup GF all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 large eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup sour cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin pan with cupcake liners. Combine butter, chocolate chips and cocoa in a medium heat-safe bowl and microwave for about 3 minutes, pulling out and stirring every minute to melt evenly. Set aside to cool. Whisk flour, baking soda and baking powder in a small bowl to combine and set aside. In a separate, large bowl, whisk the eggs, add sugar, vanilla, salt and whisk until fully blended. Add cooled chocolate mixture and whisk. Whisk in 1/2 of flour mixture over chocolate mixture and whisk until combined. Whisk in sour cream, then sift in remaining flour mixture until batter is smooth and thick. Pour batter evenly into cups and bake for about 16 minutes until toothpick comes out clean. Ice with meringue buttercream, if desired, recipe for buttercream can be found at: Martha Stewart's Swiss Meringue Buttercream Frosting.