Chocolate Cupcakes from Billy's Bakery in NYC

Billy's Bakery on Franklin Street in Tribeca

Being cupcake obsessed has it's special problems in NYC.  There are so many wonderful bakeries offering delicious cupcakes in amazing flavors of cake and frosting.  My absolute favorite NYC cupcake bakery is Billy's Bakery.  These cupcakes take me back to the cupcakes of my childhood.  Especially his Chocolate Cupcake with Chocolate Buttercream.  Pure yumminess.

Billy's Chocolate Cupcakes

All of their flavors are delicious but there is something about the chocolate ones that take me right back to the chocolate cupcakes my Mom made.  Luckily I tracked down Billy's recipe for both the cupcake and the decadent buttercream and these have been my go to chocolate cupcakes ever since.

Billy’s Chocolate Cupcakes
by Billy Reece
Yields 24 to 27 cupcakes

INGREDIENTS
2 sticks unsalted butter (8 ounces)
1 cup granulated sugar (7 ounces)
1 cup light brown sugar (7-3/4 ounces)
4 large eggs (one at a time)
6 ounces unsweetened chocolate
2 cups cake flour (9-1/4 ounces)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup buttermilk (room temperature)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS
Note: In this recipe, measurements for dry ingredients are given both by volume (cups) and by weight (ounces). Professional chefs tend to use weight measures, while home cooks usually use volume.

Cream:
2 sticks unsalted butter (8 ounces)
1 cup granulated sugar (7 ounces)
1 cup light brown sugar (7-3/4 ounces)

Add:
4 large eggs (one at a time)
6 ounces unsweetened chocolate (chocolate should be melted, then cooled for approximately 15 minutes before being added).

Add and alternate:
2 cups cake flour (9 1/4 ounces)
1 teaspoon baking soda

With:
1 cup buttermilk (room temperature)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Place cupcake paper into each cup of 2 muffin pans (each pan yielding 12 muffins). Then fill each cup with 1 leveled off scoop of an ice cream scooper.

Bake at 350 degrees in regular oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until tester comes out clean.

Buttercream Using Mint Chips instead of Semi-Sweet Chocolate

Simple Chocolate Buttercream
by Billy Reece

INGREDIENTS
4 sticks butter
12 ounces semisweet chocolate
2 3/4 cups confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS
Cream (with hand or stand mixer):
4 sticks butter (16 ounces) until light and fluffy, approximately 5 minutes

Melt (in microwave or double boiler):
12 ounces semisweet chocolate
Set aside and allow to cool for approximately 20 minutes. After chocolate has cooled, add it to the creamed butter and mix on low speed until just combined. Scrape sides of bowl then …

Add:
2 3/4 cups confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

On low speed of a hand or stand mixer, mix until fully incorporated; no confectioners' sugar should be visible. Mixture should be smooth and medium brown in color.

Do not refrigerate; use immediately or store in airtight container for up to 2 days.

This Buttercream is absolutely delicious.  Be adventurous and substitute other flavors of baking chips to make this frosting.

Buttercream Using White Chocolate Chips instead of Semi-Sweet Chocolate