American Horror Story: Murder House – Violet Chocolate Cupcakes

batter

• 120g (1/2 cup / 4oz) – unsalted butter, softened
• 90g (1/2 cup / 3oz) – granulated sugar
• 70g (1/2 cup / 2.5oz) – brown sugar
• 2 (120g) – eggs
• 1 tsp – vanilla extract
• 50g (1/2 cup / 2 oz) – cocoa powder
• 110g (1/2 cup / 4 oz) – hot water
• 224g (1 1/2 cup / 8 oz) – all purpose flour, sifted
• 2 tsp – baking soda
• 1 tsp – salt
• 120g (1/2 cup / 4 oz) – buttermilk

buttercream

• 230g (1 cup / 8 oz) – unsalted butter, softened
• 400g (4 cups / 14 oz) – powdered sugar, sifted
• 1 tsp – vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp – cocoa powder
• 5 tbsp – cream

garnish

• candied violets or purple fondat

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 375F.  Prepare a cupcake tin lined with cupcake liners.
2. In a bowl, combine the cocoa powder and hot water.  Mix until smooth and set aside.
3. In a mixing bowl with paddle attachment, cream your butter until smooth and soft.  Add the brown sugar and granulated sugar and mix until completely combined.  Add your vanilla extract and eggs one at a time and scrape the bottom of the bowl in between additions.
4. Combine together the dries and add the dries to the bowl in two additions. Alternate in with adding a bit of the dries and the buttermilk.  In the last addition of the dries, mix until it’s just incorporated.  Add the cocoa powder mixture.  Mix until combined.
5. Pour the batter into the prepared tin and bake for 15 minutes or until firm and a toothpick comes out clean.  Let the cakes cool before frosting.
6. To prepare the buttercream, paddle the butter in a mixing bowl until smooth.  Add the sifted cocoa powder and powdered sugar. Mix until the sugar is almost combined.  Add the vanilla extract and the cream.  Mix until combined.
7. The cupcakes that Constance had were smoothed so you have the often to frost the cupcakes with an offset spatula or with a large piping tip (I used Ateco 806).
8. Top each cupcake with a candied violet or you can make one with purple fondant.