Chocolate Muffins
Chocolate Muffins
Recipe
Ingredients:
– ½ cup flour
– 3 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
– ½ tsp baking soda
– ½ tsp salt
– ½ egg (whisk an egg and use half of it- could also use 1 egg yolk instead)
– ¼ cup milk
-½ tsp lemon juice or white vinegar
– ¼ cup vegetable oil
– ½ cup granulated sugar
-¼ cup hot coffee (or hot water but coffee is recommended, see notes)
Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C) and line a cupcake pan with 7-8 cupcake liners
2. Combine the milk and lemon juice/vinegar in a small bowl or measuring cup and set aside
3. In a medium bowl, sift in the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk together and set aside
4. In a large bowl, add the egg, milk mixture, oil and sugar. Beat with a whisk or electric mixture until bubbles form
5. Add in the dry ingredients and mix until mostly combined
6. Pour in the hot coffee and combine until a batter forms. Do not overmix (the batter should be thin)
7. Fill each cupcake liner halfway full and bake in preheated oven for 15-20 minutes
8. Remove from the oven once cooked completely and allow to cool in the pan for at least 5 minutes before serving.
Enjoy!
Notes
Milk and lemon juice/vinegar: Buttermilk can also be used as a substitute (if you use buttermilk, don’t add any additional lemon juice or vinegar) The acidity brings out a slight tang which perfectly matches with the sweetness of the muffins. The acid also tenderizes the gluten, allowing for a more soft texture. Regular milk would also work as a replacement
Sifting the dry ingredients: Although not completely necessary, sifting is usually always recommended in baking. Especially since cocoa powder tends to clump together, using a sift allows you to break apart the lumps of cocoa, allowing it to be better distributed.
Coffee: Coffee may be substituted for hot water, but it is highly recommended to use coffee even if you don’t like the taste! There will only be a small quantity of coffee in this batter, which is used to intensify the chocolate flavor (you can’t taste it at all!)
Do not overmix: As with the majority of baked goods, do not overmix the batter! If overworked, the gluten in the flour will develop strands, making the muffins dense and heavy.
Do not overbake: Remove the muffins from the oven as soon as a toothpick comes out clean when inserted! If it spends longer than is needed, the muffins are going to turn out dry
