Chocolate Cupcakes with Bittersweet Glaze

This cupcake is a result of a crazy day!

It all started with my broken pair of eyeglasses. You see, I noticed my glasses were a little bent..okay a lot bent when I went to put them on Sunday morning as I made my way out my driveway. So I tried to bend them back but, snap, the darned thing broke in half on me!
Sooo, quick change of plans. Off to the mall area to find somewhere to get them fixed..oh wait! It's Sunday morning and nothing's open yet!

I found my way over there, somehow... it was all blurry! And I saw that Border's Books was open early. So I wandered in and came across Molly Wizenberg's book, "A Homemade Life".
Since I needed to pass some time before anywhere else opened, I flipped through the book, read a few chapters and saw some interesting recipes and bought myself a present, the book.
It's a sweet book filled with charming stories and some intriguing recipes including this chocolate cupcake.
But I need to explain why I chose this recipe in the first place.
I drove across the highway to go to another store when I noticed a large very brightly colored van in the parking lot. Hmm.. I wondered, what the heck is that? Oh my gosh, it's one of those cupcake trucks !! My first real encounter with one!
I couldn't resist checking it out and, of course, buying a couple to take home and give my official taste test!
I bought a pina colada and a red velvet cupcake.
Well the cupcake company shall remain nameless because I was, as they say, underwhelmed with the taste. All I tasted was sweet.
But I was inspired to try making a pina colada cupcake and after two attempts, I had to move on to another flavor! Both the recipes I tried failed miserably!

So, that's the story. I'm just very relieved this recipe turned out! Oh, and the glasses...couldn't be fixed. Two weeks til I get the new ones! Aghhh!!
This chocolate cupcake is wonderfully moist and it has a nice chocolate flavor. Kris liked the bittersweet glaze but I think I'd prefer a semisweet chocolate glaze instead. Just a matter of preference, I guess. What I do love about a glaze is that I find most cupcakes have way too much frosting and with a glaze like this, it's just enough.

Whisk the dry ingredients together in a small bowl. Set aside.
Heat the coffee and add the semisweet chocolate and let it stand to melt the chocolate.( I found my chocolate didn't all melt but it worked out fine).

In a mixer bowl, beat the egg, then add the oil, yogurt and vanilla.

Gradually pour in the melted chocolate mixture and beat to combine.

Then add the dry ingredients all at once.
Beat that mixture on low speed.

Then spoon the batter into the paper liners.

And bake for 20 to 25 minutes.

Let them cool in the pan about 20 minutes, then lift out and cool completely on a wire rack.

While they're cooling, make the glaze simply by melting the bittersweet chocolate in a small heatproof bowl over simmering water.

Once it's all melted and your cupcakes have cooled completely, spoon the glaze on top and gently spread or tilt the cupcake to coat the top of the cupcake.

Chocolate Cupcakes with Bittersweet Glaze ( from "A Homemade Life", by Molly Wizenberg)

Makes 12 regular size

Cupcakes:

1 oz. semisweet chocolate, finely chopped

1/2 cup hot brewed coffee

1 cup sugar

3/4 cup plus 1 tbsp. unbleached AP flour

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1 large egg

1/4 cup canola oil

1/2 cup well stirred plain whole milk yogurt ( not low fat or non fat)

1/4 tsp. vanilla

Glaze:

8 ozs. bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

Preheat oven to 300. (This oven temp. seemed a little too low for me. I baked mine at about 325). Line muffin pan with paper liners.

1. Put the semisweet chocolate in a small bowl with the hot coffee and let it stand to melt the chocolate, stirring occasionally, til it's smooth.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt.

3. In a mixing bowl of a standing mixer, beat the egg on medium til pale yellow, about 1 minute.

4. Add the oil, yogurt and vanilla, beating well.

5. Gradually pour in the melted chocolate mixture and beat to thoroughly combine.

6. Add the dry ingredients all at once and beat on low speed til the batter is just combined.

7. Using a rubber spatula, scrape down the sides and bottom to make sure all the flour is incorporated.

8. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin liners.

9. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or til a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

10. Cool the cupcakes in the pan for 20 minutes, then carefully lift them out and let them cool completely on a wire rack.

Glaze:

Melt the bittersweet chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of gently simmering water, stirring frequently.

Once it's melted, you can spoon a heapng teaspoonful on top of each cooled cupcake, tilting the cupcake and gently spreading the glaze to the edge. You can add another layer of glaze once the first has cooled.

Keep the cupcakes at room temp. til ready to serve, at least an hour. The glaze will firm up a bit and become matte.

( She says these are even better the second day!).