Chocolate Yogurt Bites of Love

Smitten Kitchen got this from David Leibovitz's "The Sweet Life in Paris" and Ryan's co-workers got a little bite of sweet chocolate from my kitchen to his office.

I'm sure that you can make these chocolate bites into larger cupcakes, but one of the things that strikes me as genius about this recipe is that they are small, bite-sized cakes that are rich and in a miniature package. And after eating a couple, I found myself thinking that a giant cupcake would almost be too much. (I know - too much chocolate? Maybe that is possible.)


Chocolate Yogurt Snack Cakes
adapted from Smitten Kitchen and David Leibovitz's "The Sweet Life in Paris"

Makes 12 cupcake-sized snack cakes or 16 mini-springform ones

7 oz bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped (**I used a combo since I was running out of chocolate in my humble pantry)
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup plain, whole-milk yogurt (**I use and lurve the Greek stuff)
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. I used my mini cupcake tin and sprayed the hell out of it with non-stick spray.

2. In a heatproof bowl set over simmering water, melt the chocolate with 1/4 cup of the oil. Once melted and smooth, remove from the heat. (Alternately, you can do this in the microwave on high for 30 seconds, then in 15 second increments, stirring well between each until smooth.)

3. In another bowl, mix the remaining 1/4 cup oil with yogurt, sugar, eggs and vanilla and almond extracts.

4. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour in the yogurt mixture. Stir lightly a couple times, then add the melted chocolate and stir until just smooth.

5. Divide the batter among the muffin or springform cups and bake for 10 to 15 minutes (less for mini-muffins, more for muffins, though your oven may vary) or until they feel barely set in the middle and a tester or toothpick comes out clean.

6. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack before serving. I gave it a light dusting with some powdered sugar.

Do ahead: These cakes can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for four days.