Martha Stewart's Chocolate Cupcakes......step by step.

I am a bit wary of using oil in cakes instead of butter, but this recipe made me realize that using oil is as good as using butter. A cake for those who want to reduce butter in their baking....and for those who are still wary of using oil in cakes like I was....its past tense now! :)

I have been getting queries regarding muffin tray, cupcake liners etc. Some don't have muffin tray, maybe it is not available in their part of the world or they live off city limits....the same with cupcake liners...my sis-in-law Vava though she lives in the heart of the city.... is too lazy to go the wholesale shop in Trivandrum, Chali Market (which is crowded 24/7). She has been pestering me to find ways to make muffins or cupcakes without liners and muffin trays.....so I came up with this idea of using paper coffee cups.....and boy! I was glad with the result.

This cake can be made as cupcakes or in round or square pans......but make sure to top with some icing or frosting as the cake itself is not that sweet. Otherwise it is perfect to make as birthday cakes, layer cakes, or cupcakes....it is too spongy and airy....and nobody will guess that there is no butter in it :) dieters take note of this.

#You can add chocolate chips into the batter and sprinkle on top; if you are not planning an icing or fudge topping.

# I also added 1 tsp nescafe (Indian instant coffee powder) to the 3/4 cup warm water as I love the flavor of coffee in chocolate cake...it makes it more chocolatey... (I am a die hard coffee addict, can't do without the daily doses).
# Buttermilk substitute to make 1 cup of buttermilk: In your measuring cup pour 1 tbsp lemon juice or 1 tbsp white vinegar and then add low fat milk ( if you are calorie conscious) to fill the cup. Let it stand for 5 min to curdle.....that's it buttermilk is ready to add to your cakes, cupcakes, muffins...

Yields: 18 to 20.
Recipe Source: Martha Stewart.
Ingredients:
Flour: 1 1/2 cups.
Cocoa powder: 3/4 cup.
Sugar: 1 1/2 cups.
Baking soda: 1 1/2 tsp.
Baking powder: 3/4 tsp.
Salt: 3/4 tsp.
Eggs: 2.
Warm water: 3/4 cup, I added tsp instant coffee powder to this.
Buttermilk: 3/4 cup.
Vegetable oil: 3 tbsp, I used safflower.
Vanilla extract: 1 tbsp.

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 180 degree C. Line muffin tray with paper liners or use coffee cups (paper cups).

2. In a bowl sift flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

3. In another bowl add oil, eggs, and vanilla extract.

4. Add coffee-water, buttermilk and beat well.

5. Pour this into the dry sifted ingredients and beat until smooth about 3 min.

6. Pour into muffin tray lined with cupcake liners or use coffee paper cups like I used. Bake for about 20 to 25 min, or until a tooth pick inserted comes out clean. The mistake I made was I poured the batter a little more than half of each cup as you can see and the result was that the cake was so spongy and airy that it rose up above the limit. So I would suggest 2/3 fill. I had to scoop out some cake in-order to top it with the fudge sauce.