Cupcakes made their way into American kitchens around the late 1800s, and the advent of cocoa powder in the mid-19th century added a rich chocolate twist to these small treats, paving the way for the beloved chocolate cupcake everyone enjoys today.

Actually, did you know that the cupcakes were originally called "Number Cakes" or "1234 Cakes" due to the simple measuring method (one cup butter, two cups sugar, three cups flour, and four eggs)?

But how are they made? Before checking out how to revisit the choco-cupcake, it is important to know how to make the classic recipe! Dear Lykkers, don't get scared by the huge amount of ingredients you will need, it is quite easy to make the cupcake! Yes, even the revisited ones!

Classic Chocolate Cupcake Recipe

Ingredients:

- 1 cup all-purpose flour

- 1 cup granulated sugar

- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

- 1 teaspoon baking powder

- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

- 1/2 teaspoon salt

- 1/2 cup vegetable oil

- 2 large eggs

- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

- 1/2 cup buttermilk

- 1/2 cup hot water

Instructions:

Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 175°C (350°F) and line a muffin tin with cupcake liners.

Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Combine Wet Ingredients: In another bowl, whisk together the oil, eggs, vanilla extract, and buttermilk until well combined.

Combine Mixtures: Gradually add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until smooth. Slowly stir in the hot water until the batter is well combined.

Fill and Bake: Pour the batter into the cupcake liners, filling each about two-thirds full and bake for 18-20 minutes.

Cool and Frost: Let the cupcakes cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting with your favorite frosting.

Now, let's check some easy-to-change revisitation, just to make it a bit more "spicy".

1. Salted Caramel Chocolate Cupcakes

Ingredients for Caramel Variation:

- Use caramel sauce for drizzling (store-bought or homemade).

- Add a pinch of sea salt to the batter.

Instructions:

- Prepare the classic chocolate cupcake batter and add a pinch of sea salt.

- After baking, let the cupcakes cool and then hollow out a small section in the center of each cupcake. Fill the hole with caramel sauce.

- Frost with chocolate or caramel buttercream frosting and drizzle extra caramel sauce on top, finishing with a light sprinkle of sea salt.

2. Raspberry Chocolate Cupcakes

Ingredients:

- Use fresh or frozen raspberries (about 1/2 cup).

- Raspberry jam for filling.

Instructions:

- Follow the classic recipe steps, adding fresh or frozen raspberries to the batter before baking.

- After the cupcakes cool, fill them with raspberry jam by cutting out a small section in the center.

- Frost with chocolate ganache or raspberry buttercream and top with a fresh raspberry.

Which one are you going to make this weekend? Let's enjoy it together with friends and family!