Chocolate Cupcakes with Rosewater Cream

In our last post, we mentioned how we started participating in the Kitchn’s Cookbook Club. Our first recipe was an amazing success, so we’re dipping our toes into a dessert today! This recipe is originally published as a cake, but we decided to make cupcakes instead. (Samin encourages that in the recipe, so don’t worry, we’re not improvising too much!)

The cake portion turned out well – nice and chocolately with a good texture and moistness. We really liked the combination of the chocolate cake with the rosewater icing. We personally love rosewater, but it can definitely be a polarizing ingredient. Using 3/4 tsp of rosewater in this recipe gave it a discernible rosewater flavor, but isn’t overwhelming. If you’re a rosewater novice, maybe start with a little less. Another update: I still don’t know how to ice cupcakes. I tried. Sorry. At least they taste good.

Chocolate Cupcakes with Rose Cream

(Adapted from Salt Fat Acid Heat)

Ingredients: 

• Cupcakes
  • 1/2 cup cocoa powder
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 3/4 cups AP flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 neutral oil
  • 1 1/2 cups boiling water
  • 2 eggs, room temperature & whisked
• Cream
  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar
  • 3/4 tsp rosewater
  • Optional: a drop or two of red food coloring, to give you pink icing

Instructions: 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and place rack in top third of oven. Place cupcake liners in a cupcake tin.
2. In a medium bowl, sift together the dry ingredients for the cupcakes: cocoa powder, sugar, salt, flour, and baking soda.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the wet ingredients: vanilla, oil, boiling water, and eggs.
4. With mixer running, slowly add the dry ingredients into the wet ones. Mix until the thin batter comes together.
5. Divide the batter into the cupcake molds, filling roughly 2/3s full.
6. Bake for 15 – 18 minutes until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Set aside to cool.
7. Meanwhile, prepare the whipped cream frosting. Refrigerate the mixing bowl and whisk attachment for at least 20 minutes.
8. Then start by whipping the cream and rosewater together over medium-high speed until beginning to thicken. Then slowly add the powdered sugar with the machine still running. Continue to whip until stiff peaks form.
9. Frost the cooled cupcakes with the cream frosting, either by spreading with a knife or by piping on top.

Makes ~18 cupcakes