Chocolate Cardamom Muffins
Recipes calling for buttermilk usually include baking soda as a levening agent rather than baking powder. Buttermilk has more acid than regular milk, which will reduce the carbon dioxide released and thwart the leavening process.
Ingredients
- 8 ounce unsalted butter (at room temperature)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs (at room temperature)
- 6 ounce semi-sweet chocolate (melted and cooled slightly)
- 1 ½ cup all-purpose flour (scooped and scraped)
- ½ cup Dutch process cocao powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 tablespoon ground cardamom
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup buttermilk
- ½ cup powdered sugar (optional)
Directions
Set oven racks in the bottom and middle positions. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and creamy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition (scrape down the sides if necessary). Lower the speed and add the chocolate, mixing until well incorporated. Remove the bowl from the mixer and set aside.
In a separate large bowl sift together flour, cocoa, baking soda, cardamom and salt and set aside.
Using a rubber spatula fold one-third of the dry ingredients into the creamed butter and chocolate mixture and then fold in one-third of the buttermilk. Repeat two more times with the remaining flour and buttermilk. Make sure that all the ingredients are well incorporated but do not overmix.
Spoon the batter into two 12-unit, parchment cup-lined standard-sized muffin tins; filling them a generous 2/3 of the way full. Bake for 20–25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the miffin comes out clean. Rotate the pans between racks halfway through baking.
Let cool completely and garnish with powdered sugar (if using) just before serving.
