We all know someone – maybe many someones – who claim they would sacrifice their left arm or a testicle or someone else's testicle (ha!) to get their hands on chocolate. I don't get it – I don't like chocolate. I know this makes me the odd man out, and makes me an unlikely champion of the chocolate cause (not that it needs another champion). But we all know that I bake a lot, and chocolate being atop most people's wish list, I experiment with floating in these waters (and wouldn't these chocoholics love it if there were flowing rivers of chocolate to float on?).

I made some chocolate cupcakes with chocolate chips thrown in. No idea how it turned out because it was an experiment, and I would not taste it to find out. Some guinea pigs in the office will report back tomorrow, I assume. If trying to make 24 cupcakes (which is what I am normally trying to do), I would double this recipe. I only made a single recipe and still stretched it into 24 – so they are not big, fat, fluffy cupcakes, but I will know better next time what to do (if this is remotely successful).

RECIPE
Chocolate chocolate-chip cupcakes
1 1/8 cups flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt (if using unsalted butter)
1 large egg
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons milk plus
1/3 cup strong brewed coffee or espresso
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
Chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350F/175C. Line 12 cupcake tins with paper liners or spray with nonstick spray.

Sift together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt.

In another bowl, whisk together egg, brown sugar, and white sugar. Whisk in the milk, coffee, and melted butter. Whisk in the dry ingredients.

Divide the batter into the cupcake tin, filling them about one-half to three-quarters full. Throw in and swirl a few chocolate chips into each cup.

Bake for 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cupcakes comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes. Frost when completely cool.