I had a sudden craving for chocolate last night. So right before bed I whipped up a few dozen regular sized cupcakes, and a few dozen minis. Then I ate a couple. I didn't get around to the frosting until this afternoon, but honestly, this cake is so moist and flavorful that it can stand alone without the frosting.
I like to start my baking by assembling all my ingredients. This prevents me from getting half-way through and discovering I'm missing an essential element.
So take your flour, salt, baking powder and soda, ovaltine, sugar, and cocoa powder and sift together into a bowl. Set this aside. Put your oil, coffee, sour cream, half-n-half, and vanilla into your mixer (or into another mixing bowl if you are using elbow grease or a hand mixer to mix.). Mix until combined well.
Now with the mixer running, slowly add in the dry ingredients. Mix on low until just combined. Add in the eggs, one at a time, mixing just until combined after each.
Place in lined cupcake pan and fill until 2/3 of the way full. Bake at 350 approximately 10-13 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Let cool completely before frosting.
To prepare the frosting, put your room temperature butter in a mixing bowl and beat it until its smooth. Now sift in your cocoa powder and powdered sugar, mixing and taking care not to leave any lumps. Add in the vanilla and mix. In a different bowl, mix together Ovaltine and heavy cream well. Slowly add to butter mixture. Beat on high for 1-2 minutes, or until frosting slightly lightens in color. We're just trying to incorporate some air into it. Pipe onto cooled cupcakes with a tip that will not make it look similar to any other unappetizing thing that will not be mentioned.
Here's the recipe. Use it at your own risk. These are not low-fat, not low-calorie, and may be habit forming.
Ovaltine Chocolate Cake & Frosting...
Ingredients
Cake:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/3 cup rich chocolate Ovaltine
2 cups sugar
1 cup canola oil
1 cup strong hot good-quality coffee
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup half-n-half
2 lg eggs
1 Tbsp vanilla
Frosting:
1 1/2 cups unsalted butter
1 cup cocoa powder
3/4 tsp salt (or NONE if you ran out of unsalted and had to use regular, salted butter!)
4 cups powdered sugar
1 Tbsp vanilla
1 cup heavy cream
2/3 cup Ovaltine
Instructions
1. For cake, sift together dry ingredients and set aside. In mixer, combing canola oil, coffee, half-n-half, vanilla and sour cream. Mix on low 30 seconds. Slowly add in dry mixture and mix on low until incorporated. Add in eggs, one at a time, and mix just until combined.
2. Pour batter into lined cupcake tins 2/3 of the way full. I like to lightly spray my cupcake liners with cooking spray, as well. I think it helps them release. I'm not sure if this is entirely necessary or not, but its what I do. Bake at 350 for 10-13 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool completely before frosting.
3. For frosting, put room temperature butter in a mixing bowl and beat until smooth. Sift in cocoa powder and powdered sugar, mixing and taking care not to leave lumps. Add vanilla. Mix. In a different bowl, mix together Ovaltine and heavy cream well. Slowly add to butter mixture. Beat on high for 1-2 minutes, or until frosting slightly lightens in color. We're just trying to incorporate some air into it. Pipe onto cooled cupcakes with a tip that will not make it look similar to any other unappetizing thing that will not be mentioned.