Sour Cream Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting

Here's the problem I have almost every time I make cupcakes. Well two problems.
1. They always seem a bit dry, even after following baking instructions perfectly.
2. They often sink in the middle.
Do you have the same issues? I mean, with cupcakes? Research time. I looked into this sinking problem. Googled "Why do my cupcakes sink in the middle?"  I found lots of solutions to my problems (if only all of the answers to life's questions were found on GOOGLE). After reading,  I felt the recipe had too much fat for the amount of flour, egg, etc. So, I adjusted the egg and flour. This is a common problem when baking at our altitude (4400 ft.).  For this recipe, I added a 1/4 cup of flour and another egg (yolk only).  To combat the dryness issue, I  removed 1/2 cup of butter and added 1/2 cup of sour cream.  First batch (without adjustments) yielded crater cakes, second batch- YUM.  If you are looking for answers to cupcake questions/problems etc, Cupcake Bakeshop by Chokylit is a good resource.
After working with this recipe, I was able to come up with a recipe that works wonderfully with our altitude and my oven :) Hooray!
Loved these.

Sour Cream Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting
A Bountiful Kitchen
print recipe

1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs plus 1 egg yolk, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 cup sour cream, at room temperature
1/2 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
1 3/4 cups flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder, unsweetened
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Cream the butter and sugar in a large bowl.  Add the eggs and yolk one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla, sour cream and buttermilk, beat until all wet ingredients are incorporated. Add dry ingredients all at once, beat until batter is smooth, about 1 minute.
Scoop batter into cupcake liners.  Fill about 3/4 of the way full. Bake at 350 for 15-18 minutes or until cake springs back when touched lightly in the middle.

Peanut Butter Frosting:
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1/3 cup smooth peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup milk or half and half (added 1 tablespoon at a time)

Place butter, peanut butter and vanilla in a large bowl, mix well.  Add salt, powdered sugar and milk or half and half and beat until smooth.

Tips:
-To insure proper rising of your cake, make sure the normally cold ingredients (butter, eggs, sour cream, buttermilk) are at room temperature.
-I like to use an ice cream scoop or large cookie scoop to place the batter into the cupcake liners.
-This recipe yields about 18 cupcakes.  The frosting will cover the 18 cupcakes. I swirled the frosting onto the cupcake with a butter knife.  If you like to pipe the frosting, or like a lot of frosting on the cupcakes, double this frosting recipe.
-If you are piping the frosting on, don't add too much milk or half and half. Add the liquid a tablespoon at a time.

linked to:

Tweet

Pin It