Recently, I had the privilege and gift of studying for a week in the Essentials of Pastry Arts at the International Culinary Center in New York City. Once known as the French Culinary Center, ICC has some of the most renowned pastry chefs in the United States – such as Jacques Pepin and Jacques Torres. Their alumni are some of the most noteworthy in the food and hospitality industry. It was a week of intense learning as well as exploring an area of personal inadequacy. Give me a savory dish over a fancy rolled fondant cake anytime! But, little did I know what a week of good, concentrated study could do to boost my confidence. Leaning into our insufficiency can sometimes prove “sweet” results.

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Decadent Chocolate Cupcakes

Tip - use a digital scale to weigh these ingredients and always be sure to "tare" your scale after putting your mixing bowl on it; that is, reset the scale to "0" before you start measuring ingredients

SERVINGS 16cupcakes (approx.) CHANGE SERVING SIZE cupcakes (approx.)

COOK TIME 15-20mins

PREP TIME 20mins

READY IN 45-60mins

Ingredients

• Cupcakes:
• 225 g sugar
• 200 g pastry flour
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3/4 tsp baking soda
• 80 g butter at room temperature
• 80 g vegetable oil
• 65 g cocoa powder (good quality)
• 175 ml water
• 50 g whole eggs (about 2 large)
• 20 g egg yolk(s) (about 1)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 175 g buttermilk
• Fudge Icing:
• 110 g butter
• 40 g heavy or whipping cream
• 10 g cocoa powder
• 100 g powdered sugar

Instructions

Cupcakes:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
2. Grease 16 cupcake tin or line with muffin papers.
3. In a bowl, sift together the sugar, flour, salt and baking soda.
4. Combine butter, oil, cocoa powder, and water in a bowl and whisk until warm over a bain marie.
5. Whisk together the whole eggs, egg yolk, vanilla, and buttermilk until combined; add to butter mixture.
6. Stir liquid ingredients into the sifted flour mixture until just combined.
7. Portion the batter into the prepared cupcake molds until 3/4 full and bake in preheated oven for 15-20 min. (Bake as soon as you fill them; otherwise, they won't rise as much in the oven.)
8. Test the cupcakes for doneness - your finger should bounce back to the touch.
9. Immediately unmold the cupcakes onto a cooling rack Let them cool completely before icing.

Fudge Icing:

1. Place all ingredients for the icing in a saucepan and warm, stirring to combine.
2. Remove the pan from the heat and allow it to cool until desired consistency is reached.
3. Dip the cupcake tops by inverting into the cooled icing and then twist and place right side up on a cooling rack. Iced cupcakes are best served the day they're made. Add sprinkles on top if desired.