chocolate cake muffins, take 2

Last time I made chocolate cake muffins, that was the intentention of the recipe, and the recipe was sort of a yogurt snack cake. This time, I used SK's everyday chocolate cake recipe that I had made before as a loaf cake and cooked it in muffin cups so that I could serve them individually more easily. I had my first boys movie night with my students (and a male teacher came too), third movie night total (and last one tomorrow), so I wanted to make it easy for them to grab. I think it turned out well, but next time I will not fill the cups as full as I did. Instead of making a half recipe, I think I will just cook it in two batches because making them individually vs. the loaf also cut the cooking time in half.

The recipe:

1/2 cup (1 stick or 4 ounces) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup (6 7/8 ounces) firmly packed light brown sugar - I used dark brown because that's what's available
1/2 cup (4 ounces) granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 cup buttermilk - I used regular whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract - I only have powdered available
1 1/2 cups (6 3/4 ounces) all-purpose flour
3/4 cup (2 5/8 ounces) Dutch cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat the oven to 325°F.
In a large bowl, on the medium speed of an electric mixer, cream the butter until smooth. Add the sugars and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg and beat well, then the milk and vanilla.
Sift the flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt together right into your wet ingredients. Stir together with a spoon until well-blended but do not overmix (I actually just used the mixer again because I am lazy, and it seemed fine). Scrape down the batter in the bowl, making sure the ingredients are well blended.
I put my little muffin paper cups into my muffin tin (these were an exciting buy at the American table at the International Women's Bazaar the other weekend) and poured the batter into 12 cups. As mentioned above, mine overflowed a bit, so I think using 2/3 or 1/2 of the batter in each would work out a little better. If you make it all in one pan, it should cook for 60 - 70 minutes. I think it took mine about 35 minutes to cook in the muffin tins. Either way, just stick a toothpick in to test, and when it comes out clean, they're ready. I dusted mine with confectioner's sugar before serving.

The boys loved them and so did my roommates, and 20 minutes after they were out of the oven, all 12 were gone and I didn't eat one.