Chocolate Malt Cupcakes with Malted Buttercream

Dear Dad,

This post is for you!

Exactly 1 year ago my parents came to visit our new house (crazy how time flies!). My dad picked up a container of malted milk powder at the local grocery store, hoping I would make some treats with it. Better late than never, right Dad? As I was contemplating something to bake this week, I spotted that unopened container of malted milk, sitting right in my line of sight. It was time. I decided on cupcakes, mainly because it had been awhile since I made cupcakes.

I've done a little bit of research on malted milk and what it does to recipes. Chemically, that is. From what I can tell, it will make your cookies flat. That's not a bad thing, just something to counter in your technique making those cookies. Most of the recipes I could find for cupcakes with malted milk powder involve lots of baking soda and no butter.  As in, the baking soda is making the cake rise, not air from creaming butter. I'm always game for an experiment, so I dove right in.

Don't ask me why I'm always surprised when new techniques work. Yet, I am. I easily get set in my ways, like a cave man.

"Grrr, make cupcake rise with butter."

"Baking... soda... Grrr, me no like."

"Me... want... BUTTER!"

That's the amazing thing about food. There are usually multiple ways to achieve a result, allowing chefs to react to and problem solve on the fly. Regardless of the technique, these cupcakes rose just fine without creaming any butter. Which in my mind makes these a lot easier to prepare than other varieties of cupcakes. Not only that, but the malted milk powder really gives these cakes something extra. A little bit of oomph. Indeed, when I mixed the malted milk with the regular milk I discovered the substance smells like the middle of a Whopper. Yum! This led to me topping the cupcakes with crushed Whoppers.

Wowsers.

Make these today. You will not regret it :)

Ingredients (makes 16 standard cupcakes):

Cake:
1 cup + 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
6 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
6 tbsp light brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 tsp baking soda
14 tsp salt
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup + 2 tbsp malted milk powder
1/2 cup oil
1 large egg + 1 egg white
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Frosting:
1/2 cup + 2 tbsp milk
1/3 cup malted milk powder
1 and 1/2 sticks butter, softened
heaping 1/4 tsp salt
3 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Topping: crushed Whoppers candy

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350º. Line 2 cupcake pans with 16 liners. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, combine flour through salt. Whisk to combine.
3. In a small bowl, combine milk and malt powder. Whisk until no lumps remain.
4. Pour milk mixture into flour mixture. Add oil. Using an electric mixer, mix flour, milk, and oil until well combined. Add egg and egg white. Mix until incorporated, scraping sides of bowl. Add sour cream and vanilla, mix until just combined.
5. Divide batter among lined cups, filling halfway. Bake for 17-20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool completely before frosting.
6. Prepare frosting: In a small bowl, combine milk and malt powder. Stir until powder is dissolved. In a large bowl, beat butter and salt until creamy. Add sugar, vanilla, and a drizzle of the milk mixture. Beat mixture until you reached desired consistency, drizzling milk to thin out the frosting. Using a spatula, divide frosting among cupcakes or pipe onto cupcakes using a piping bag. Top each cupcake with a sprinkle of crushed Whoppers. Serve immediately!

Recipe adapted from Take A Mega Bite.

Linked to: Weekend Potluck, Foodie Friday, Cunning Ladies' Friday Party