Double Chipotle Chocolate Cupcakes

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line two muffin tins with paper liners.

To make the cupcakes, in a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and sugar until fluffy and a pale creamy color. Whisk in the olive oil until fully combined, 1-2 minutes. 

Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and baking soda over top the wet ingredients and then sprinkle in the salt. Stir to combine with a wooden spoon or spatula. There should be no ribbons of flour in the batter. Fold in the buttermilk and balsamic to form a very thin batter. Avoid overmixing, as this will make the cupcakes tough. (This batter is unusually thin, so don’t panic.) 

Fill the prepared muffin cups half full with batter. Bake for 18-20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with only a few light crumbs attached and is not wet at all. Remove the tins from the oven and carefully take the cupcakes out of the cups. Place them on a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.

To make the frosting, using a stand mixer or handheld beaters, mix the cream cheese and butter together until fully combined and creamy. Add the icing sugar 1 cup at a time, beating well between each addition, and then beat in the cocoa powder followed by the sea salt. With the mixer running, slowly add the balsamic and then beat on high to create a light, air filled frosting.

Transfer the frosting to a piping bag fitted with the tip of your choice and frost the cooked cupcakes. Garnish with sprinkles if desired and serve.