Magnolia Chocolate Cupcakes with Coffee Cream Frosting

My family & I were amazed with this chocolate cupcake recipe though we got many favorite recipes in heart. I found that using unsweetened chocolate as ingredient for these cupcakes made them more tasty in chocolate flavor other than using cocoa powder or dark chocolate. For these cupcakes, you can have your choice of frosting but I like coffee buttercream coz I feel that chocolate and coffee always a perfect combination.

I got the recipe from http://www.recipelink.com/cookbooks/2005/0743246616_3.html and I'm so happy that I don't have to wait for a chance to queue up in New York just to try Magnolia Cupcakes!

Magnolia Chocolate Cupcakes with Coffee Cream Frosting
(Yield 24 cupcakes)

All purpose flour 2 cups
Baking soda 1 tsp
Unsalted butter 1 cup
Granulated sugar 1 cup
Brown sugar 1 cup
Eggs 4
Melted unsweetened chocolate 6 oz (170 g)
Buttermilk 1 cup
Vanilla 1 tsp.

1. Melted the unsweetened chocolate with double boiler or in microwave then set aside.
2. In a small bowl, sift together the flour and baking soda. Set aside.
3. Add vanilla into buttermilk and set aside.
3. In a large bowl, on the medium speed of an electric mixer, cream the butter until smooth. Add the sugars and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs*, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the melted chocolate, mixing until well incorporated. Add the dry ingredients in three parts, alternating with the buttermilk. With each addition, beat until the ingredients are incorporated, but do not overbeat. Using a rubber spatula, scrape down the batter in the bowl to make sure the ingredients are well blended and the batter is smooth.
4. Carefully spoon the batter into the cupcake liners, filling them about 3/4 full.
5. Bake in preheat oven at 175C for 20–25 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center of the cupcake comes out clean.
6. Cool the cupcakes in the tins for 15 minutes. Remove from the tins and cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.

*Remarks: my method when I am making butter cake type, I always beat eggs together before slowly pour into the butter. This can prevent butter and eggs separated.