My Go-To Chocolate Cupcakes

Two years ago, when I was just beginning my cupcake baking days, I wasted an sinful amount of butter and sugar in search of the best chocolate cake recipe.  I still remember squealing with delight when I pulled these out of the oven for the first time and seeing their smooth, slightly domed, perfect tops (if there's one thing I hate, it's a messy, sunken cupcake). I don't think I even waited for them to cool before tearing one apart to find a soft, light texture, and my favorite trait of these beauties is that they don't crumble to pieces when you take a bite (if there's another thing I hate, it's wearing my cupcake). I think I wiped the inevitable batter off my phone immediately, that day, to call Mum who had given me the recipe originally and declared that "oh my god, this is the perfect cupcake".  My opinion of this recipe has only increased in the 20-odd times I've made it since - it has never failed me. 

Oh yeah, and they taste rich and delicious too.

This isn't the most glamorously decorated example, and frankly that's because when someone requests just "chocolate cupcakes", I believe that they will be happiest with the cake being the star. I've also topped these with more elaborate frosting and decorations, which have been superbly received as well. In this case, I frosted them with a modest amount of basic chocolate buttercream.

If you're looking to add a filling, these are probably not the cupcakes to choose - I think they are slightly too dense (but in a good way! I promise)

I've been using the same original printout for two years, but for fear of losing it, or covering it so severely in ingredients that it becomes illegible, I tracked down the online source today.
Side note: I have made the Brown Sugar Buttercream that is included with the recipe online, and I'm disappointed to say that it was extremely underwhelming. I definitely don't recommend it.

Devil's Food Cake
Source: Epicurious.com - originally from Gourmet Magazine
Yield 24-28 cupcakes or 2 9" rounds

INGREDIENTS
1 cup boiling water
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch-processed)
1/2 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/4 cups packed dark brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
4 large eggs

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350F.

2. Whisk together boiling water and cocoa powder until smooth, then mix in vanilla and milk.

3. Sift together flour, salt, and baking soda in another bowl.

4. Beat together butter and sugars in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until pale and fluffy, then add eggs 1 at a time, mixing well after each addition. Beat in flour and cocoa mixtures alternatively in batches, beginning and ending with the flour mixture.

5. Divide batter among cupcake pans (a large cookie scoop works well for this), and bake for approximately 20 minutes, or until tops of cakes spring back when touched lightly.

Cake can be made several days ahead and stored in airtight container.  Freezes well.