Chocolate olive oil cake recipe with Frogletiers

Way back in the spring 2011, when we were moving production (for the first time!) from our house on Isle au Haut, into a fancy-schmancy new commercial kitchen build-out 50 feet away in our barn, we got a call from the good folks at Martha Stewart Living Magazine. The year before, they had done a saaaaaweeeeet feature length spread on our blossoming chocolate company, and the editors fell in love with the colorful little bittersweet chocolate frogs that were a part of our springtime Frogs on a Log collection. They told us that it would be just great if we made those little frogs—sans the log—and had them available on our website year-round, so they could feature them in their magazine for Halloween.

It took me and Steve about 2 seconds to figure out that when Martha Stewart Magazine asks you to make a product so that they can feature it in their magazine…well, you get right on that shit. The feature was super duper cute—“slime”-glazed cupcakes topped with our green and orange bittersweet chocolate “Frogletiers.” They made quite a splash with the Halloween-o-phile set, and we could barely keep those little suckers in stock.

This year, I thought the idea needed a little updated reprise. These cupcakes are made from my olive oil chocolate cake recipe (you can find it here), and a ultra dark chocolate glaze that sets to an elegant satiny sheen—a perfect foundation for our intrepid Frogletiers, which are slightly more classy than creepy. So sure, fill a bucket with peeled grape eyeballs, or slimy spaghetti guts, but let these cupcakes be the centerpiece of your Halloween party goodie table.

One recipe Kate’s Chocolate Cake, baked into cupcakes rather than cake layers

8 ounces bittersweet chocolate chips
6 ounces (1-1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
1 tablespoon corn syrup
2 tablespoons water

Orange, green, or blue Frogletiers (or other decoration)

Place chocolate chips and the butter in a heat-proof metal bowl. Put the bowl over a pot of hot water and allow butter and chocolate to melt, stirring occasionally. When the butter and chocolate are completely melted, add the corn syrup and water. Stir until perfectly smooth. If necessary, allow the mixture to cool until it feels just barely cool to the touch, but is still warm enough to be fluid.

Holding a cupcake by the base, dip the crown into the bowl of glaze, lift it up, and let it drip over the bowl until most of the excess glaze has dripped off. Set the cupcake on a cooling rack, and continue this process with the other cupcakes. Allow the cupcakes to sit until the glaze begins to set, and then decorate with the chocolate frogs. Once the glaze has completely set, place the cupcakes into a new paper cupcake liner, and serve.