chocolate cake muffins

Second movie night with my girls tonight, and, in addition to carrots, apples, chips, pretzels, and popcorn, I again made the thick chewy oatmeal cookies by SK (in my other move night snacks entry) and tried out another SK chocolate cake recipe for little cake muffins. The girls watched Penelope and I baked, and I think they had a good time. They are just too precious - they brought me chocolates and a traditional Bulgarian juice drink (er, not too delicious).

Chocolate Cake Muffins:

As far as the recipe, I had a few different ingredients, but I think it turned out pretty much as expected. I also accidentally added all the oil with the chocolate and then later realized it only was supposed to be half, but it didn't seem to be a major crisis. I made 12 little mini muffins and 12 regular muffins.


7 ounces (200 grams) bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup (125 ml) vegetable oil
1/2 cup (125 ml) plain, whole-milk yogurt (I didn't have whole milk yogurt, it seemed fine)
1 cup (200 grams) sugar
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (I used a vanilla sugar because we don't have extract here)
1/2 teaspoon almond extract (we don't have this so I didn't use any)
1 1/2 cups (200 grams) flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt (I used regular salt)

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper cupcake liners or lightly butter the pan (um, I rubbed it in oil and it sort of worked).

2. In a heatproof bowl set over simmering water, melt the chocolate with 1/4 cup of the oil. Once melted and smooth, remove from the heat (I did this in the microwave on high for a few seconds on and off, and stirred in between).

3. In another bowl, mix the remaining 1/4 cup oil with yogurt, sugar, eggs and vanilla and almond extracts.

4. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour in the yogurt mixture. Stir lightly a couple times, then add the melted chocolate and stir until just smooth.

5. Divide the batter among the muffin or springform cups and bake for 20 to 25 minutes (less for mini-springforms, more for muffins, though your oven may vary) or until they feel barely set in the middle and a tester or toothpick comes out clean.

6. Remove from the oven and cool. I dusted mine with powdered sugar before serving.