Easy Chocolate Cupcakes

Do you ever go to a bakery or restaurant, eat something delicious and then think to yourself, “I could make that?” I do. And I usually consider that I could make it myself because it’s A: too expensive to buy again, or B: I bought it somewhere that I can’t easily get back to for re-purchasing.

In this particular case I had a cupcake from LaHave Bakery on my last trip to Nova Scotia and I couldn’t get it out of my head, I also can’t go back to buy another one anytime soon.

To make myself feel better about that, I found a recipe for chocolate cupcakes, made my basic vanilla icing and then changed that vanilla to almond. Of course, it's never going to be exactly the same as what they make, even if I had their recipe, but it's reminiscent and that will have to do.

 

To be honest, I don’t actually know for sure if the icing in LaHave had almond extract in it, but it sure smelled like it. Even if it didn't, I have almond extract already from a recipe I made last Christmas and this seemed like a nice place to use it. I was actually pleasant surprised by how much more I like almond versus the traditional vanilla.

Here are the recipes I used:

 

Chocolate Cupcakes (makes 12)

• 1 cup flour
• ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• ½ tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp baking soda
• 1/8 tsp salt
• ¾ + 2 tbsp granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• ½ cup milk
• ¼ cup canola oil
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ¾ cup chocolate chips

 

Almond Icing

• 3 tbsp room temperature butter
• 3-4 cups confectioners sugar
• 3-5 tbsp milk
• 1 tsp almond extract (or change the extract for a different flavour!)
• Splash of vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt

 

Preheat the oven to 350F

Grease or line your cupcake tins or cake pan

Combine flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt

In a separate bowl combine sugar, eggs, milk, oil and vanilla. Whisk until well mixed

Combine the two mixtures and mix well, continue to scrape down the sides

Fill the tin(s) about halfway

Bake approximately 15-20 minutes

Wait until the cake is fully cooled before icing

 

To make the icing just combine all ingredients and mix well.

I used my emulsion blender to get the icing smooth and creamy.

If the icing is runny you can add more icing sugar, if it's dry add a bit more milk.