Candy Heart Cupcakes - Hummingbird High

For the Chocolate Cupcakes

Position oven racks in the upper third and the lower third of the oven and preheat to 350 (F). Prepare two 12-cavity muffin pans by lining with cupcake liners and set aside.
In a medium bowl, combine 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 1/4 cups natural unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, and 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Whisk together until well combined. Set aside.
Put 2 ounces coarsely chopped 70%-cacao dark chocolate in a liquid measuring cup and pour 1 cup boiling water over it. Whisk with a fork until the chocolate is melted. Place the mixture on a wire rack and allow to cool for 15 minutes.
In the bowl of a freestanding electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whisk 2 large eggs on high speed until foamy, about 2 minutes. Reduce the speed to low and slowly pour in 1/2 cup vegetable oil. Once all the oil has been added, slowly pour in the cooled chocolate mixture (from the 3rd step). Once the chocolate has been added, slowly pour in 1 cup whole plain yogurt and 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract. Continue whisking on low speed for another 30 seconds, and then add 2 1/4 cups granulated sugar. Whisk until the batter is smooth and liquid, and the ingredients have fully combined, about 2 minutes.
Stop the mixer and replace the whisk attachment for a paddle attachment. Sprinkle the dry ingredients (from the 2nd step) over the liquid mixture in the bowl. Turn the mixer back on and on its lowest setting, mix in the dry ingredients until just incorporated. It's important that you mix JUST until the dry ingredients have disappeared into the bowl — the batter will still look lumpy, but it's just a lumpy batter, I promise. Trust the recipe! Scrape down the sides of the bowl and use a rubber spatula to finish mixing the batter by hand.
Use a 1-tablespoon cookie dough scoop to divide the batter evenly between the cupcake liners; I used about 2 tablespoons per cupcake liner — do not overfill more than two-thirds of the cavity. Place one muffin pan on the upper third rack, and the other muffin pan on the lower third rack. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, switching the two muffin pans at the 10 minute mark. Bake until the top of each cupcake springs back when gently poked and a skewer inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Transfer the pans to a wire rack and let the cupcakes cool completely to room temperature in their pans Do NOT frost the cupcakes until they've cooled completely.

For the Meringue Icing

Once the cupcakes have cooled to room temperature completely, make the icing. In the bowl of a freestanding electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, combine 3 large egg whites and 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract. Set aside.
Combine 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar, 1/4 cup water, and 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar in a medium, heavy-bottomed sauce pot. Stir to combine and fit a candy thermometer to the side of the pot. Place over medium heat and cook until the mixture boils, thickens, and reaches 240 (F). Once the mixture reaches 240 (F), immediately pour it into a liquid measuring cup to prevent it from getting hotter.
Return to the egg whites and turn the mixer to medium speed. With the mixer on medium speed, slowly pour the sugar syrup into the egg whites, aiming for the side of the bowl rather than the whisk and egg whites. When all the syrup is added, turn the mixer to medium-high and whisk until the icing becomes shiny, thick, and holds a firm peak. This should take around 10 minutes — don't whisk any longer than that, or the icing will become too thick to spread and pipe!
Transfer to a piping bag and use immediately.

Get the Recipe: Candy Heart Cupcakes

Ingredients

For the Chocolate Cupcakes

For the Meringue Icing

(makes around 4 cups, enough for 30 cupcakes)

Equipment

Instructions

For the Chocolate Cupcakes

For the Meringue Icing