Ingredients
- 220 g all-purpose flour
- 40 g unsweetened cocoa powder
- 8 g baking powder
- 3 g baking soda
- 3 g salt
- 240 ml Québec maple syrup
- 2 eggs
- 100 g melted butter
- 120 ml milk
- 5 ml vanilla extract
- 120 ml hot coffee
Method
- Heat the oven to 165 °C and line a 12-cup muffin tin.
- Whisk the maple syrup, eggs, melted butter, milk, vanilla, and hot coffee.
- Sift in the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; mix until smooth.
- Fill the liners two-thirds full and bake for 18–20 minutes.
Conversion and rationale
Original sweetener (classic version): 200 g white sugar
Conversion used: Replace 200 g sugar with 240 ml maple syrup; reduce the classic 180 ml milk to 120 ml and bake at 165 °C instead of 180 °C.
Why Quebec maple syrup: Maple rounds the bitterness of cocoa with a warm caramel note. Using Québec syrup keeps the cupcakes moist and gives a familiar chocolate cake a regional character.
General rule: 1 cup (250 ml) sugar ≈ 3/4 cup (180 ml) maple syrup; reduce liquids by 45–60 ml per cup of syrup and lower oven by 15 °C. Substitution calculator →