Double Chocolate Chocolate Chip Muffins (Cupcakes)

Preheat the oven to 350 and line a 12-cup muffin tin with papers.  Place the butter and chopped chocolate in a large, microwave proof bowl and microwave on low in 30 second increments, stirring in between, until the chocolate is melted, then continue to stir until the mixture is smooth and the butter and chocolate have come together – the mixture should be warm, not hot.  In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and espresso powder (if using).

Whisk the brown sugar into the chocolate mixture, and then follow with the eggs, buttermilk and vanilla (if using), and continue to whisk until the new mixture is well combined.  Add the flour mixture all at once and fold with a spatula until no flour is visible, then fold in the chocolate chunks (or chips).  Divide the batter evenly among the 12 cups and bake for 18 minutes – overbaking them even by a touch will make them seem dry.  Allow them to sit in the muffin tins for 5 minutes before removing them to a rack to cool completely.

If you’d like to add the white chocolate drizzle, melt the white chocolate chips carefully on low in the microwave as you did with the chocolate and butter and then liberally drizzle (fling) the white chocolate over all of the muffins (cupcakes).  The drizzle will harden up as it, and the muffins cool, making them perfect and pretty to transport, (but they’re awfully good warm!).