Behave Yourself Cupcakes with Chocolate Cream Cheese Icing

Name: Behave Yourself Cupcakes with Chocolate Cream Cheese Icing
Yield: makes 12 cupcakes
Ingredients: Twelve 2 1/2-inch paper muffin-cup liners; 2 cups cake flour; 1 teaspoon baking powder; 1/2 teaspoon baking soda; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 2 large eggs, at room temperature; 1 1/3 cups sugar; 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted; 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract; 1 1/3 cups well-shaken buttermilk; Chocolate Cream Cheese Icing (recipe follows); 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened; One 8-ounce block cream cheese, softened; 4 ounces semisweet chocolate, melted (see note); 3 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 1 tablespoon milk; (makes enough icing for 12 cupcakes)

December 9, 2011

Pat: Cupcakes bring out the kid in everyone. They certainly bring out the kid in me, and my girls will tell you that I love these cupcakes as much as they do. Who can blame me? They are impossible to resist. The combination of cake flour and buttermilk gives them a tender crumb and a slightly tangy flavor, and the thick, rich cream-cheese frosting—made with melted chocolate chips—puts them over the top. These cupcakes starred in the “If Pat’s a Good Boy” episode of our show. Talk about inspiration to behave! Gina often doubles this recipe so we have enough around to feed a crowd for a party or picnic, because even when folks are on their best behavior these have a way of vanishing. . . .

Cooks' Note

Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or in a metal bowl placed over a saucepan of gently simmering water (the bowl should not touch the water).

Recipe notes

Classic French Bouillabaisse With Rouille

This flexible recipe is all you need to bring this iconic Provençal seafood stew to your table.

Salmon With Sizzled Nut Salsa

A savory-hot salsa made with mixed nuts (like the kind dubbed cocktail nuts meant for snacking) gives roast salmon a kaleidoscope of textures and flavors.

Smothered Italian Sausage

This is what I call a fridge-eater recipe. The key here is getting a nice sear on the sausage and cooking the tomato down until it coats the sausage and vegetables well.

Dulce de Leche

Make this versatile caramel at home with our slow-simmered method using milk and sugar—or take one of two sweetened condensed milk shortcuts.

Our Favorite French Onion Soup

Caramelized onions, melty Gruyère, and a deeply savory broth deliver the kind of comfort that doesn’t need improving.

Butternut Squash–Kale Salad With Roasted Garlic Vinaigrette

Round out these autumn greens with tart pomegranate seeds, crunchy pepitas, and a shower of Parmesan.

Béchamel Sauce

This classic 15-minute sauce is your secret weapon for homemade mac and cheese, chowder, lasagna, and more.

One-Pot Chicken Thighs With Cilantro Rice and Beans

This one-pot dinner cooks chicken thighs directly on top of a bed of flavorful cilantro rice studded with black beans for a complete dinner.