Ingredients

55 grams salted butter (room temperature)

1/2 cup castor sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

55 grams quality dark chocolate

3 eggs (room temperature)

1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/3 cup sour cream

1 cup plain flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1/2 cup water (room temperature)

Method

• Preheat your oven to 180°C (170°C if using fan-forced oven).

• Mix butter and sugar until fully combined. The end result will look like wet sand.

• Melt the chocolate in a double boiler. Once the melted chocolate is cool enough to touch, add it to the butter/sugar mixture and mix until just combined.

• Add eggs one at a time until just combined.

  Add oil, vanilla, and sour cream until just combined.

• Sift together flour, baking soda, and cocoa powder into a separate medium-sized bowl. 

• Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients in two additions, mixing until just combined after each addition.

• Add water until just combined.

• Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full and put in the oven.

• Cook for 20 minutes (check after 18 minutes but not before!). A toothpick inserted into the centre of a cupcake should come out clean when they are done.

• Immediately remove cupcakes from the cupcake tin and cool to room temperature.

• Top with chocolate ganache or buttercream.