Amazing Yellow Cupcakes with Crème Fraîche Dark Chocolate

Ingredients

For the Yellow Cupcakes:
(makes 18 cupcakes)
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
1/2 cup milk
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/4 cup potato starch
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt

For the Dark Chocolate Crème Fraîche Frosting and Flaky Sea Salt Topping:
(makes enough for 18 cupcakes, around 1 cup)
6 ounces 72% cocoa dark chocolate, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 tablespoons light corn syrup
1/4 cup crème fraîche, at room temperature
2 tablespoons half-and-half, at room temperature
flaky sea salt

Recipe:
For the Yellow Cupcakes:
Preheat the oven to 350 (F) and prepare two standard cupcake trays by lining with 18 cupcake liners. Set aside.
In a saucepan over medium-low heat, combine 1 cup unsalted butter and 1/2 cup milk, stirring occasionally just until the butter is melted. Once the butter is melted, remove from heat immediately and set aside. Let cool to slightly above room temperature; an instant-read thermometer should register between 80 to 85 degrees (F).

In a microwave-safe bowl, whisk 3 large eggs with 2 teaspoons vanilla extract. Microwave on low for 20-second intervals, stirring between each interval until the egg mixture reaches 80 to 85 degrees (F). It's okay to overshoot the temperature slightly, but try not to let the temperature go past 100 degrees — you don't want to scramble the eggs before they go into the batter! If you've overshot the temperature, set aside to cool until instant-read thermometer registers between 80 to 85 degrees.

While the butter/milk and egg/vanilla mixtures are cooling, whisk together 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar, 1/4 cup potato starch, 2 teaspoon baking powder and 1 teaspoon kosher salt in the bowl of a freestanding electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment.

Check your liquid mixtures temperatures. When both mixtures are between 80 to 85 degrees, they're ready to go. Begin mixing the dry ingredients on low speed, then slowly drizzle in the milk mixture. Beat until just combined. With the mixture on low speed, add the egg mixture in three additions, beating until just incorporated between additions. The batter should be silky and smooth and very liquid.

Transfer the batter to the cupcake pan by filling each cupcake liner wither 2 tablespoons of batter (you can use a 1-tablespoon cookie dough scoop for this process, which I highly recommend), or until the liners are two-thirds full. Bake in the preheated until nicely risen and golden brown, 20 to 23 minutes. Immediately transfer the cupcakes from their pans and onto a wire rack to cool completely.

For the Dark Chocolate Crème Fraîche Frosting and Flaky Sea Salt Topping:
Combine 6 ounces dark chocolate, 1/4 cup unsalted butter and 1 tablespoon light corn syrup in a double boiler or a heatproof bowl sitting on top of a pan with simmering water. Melt completely, using a heatproof rubber spatula to stir occasionally to release heat and fully combine the ingredients.

Once the chocolate and butter have fully melted, remove from heat. Whisk the mixture gently to release more heat, before whisking in 1/4 cup crème fraîche and 2 tablespoons half-and-half. Continue whisking until both the crème fraîche and half-and-half are fully integrated and the frosting is a uniform dark chocolate color. Set the frosting aside for 15 minutes to cool some more, giving the frosting a gentle whisk or two every 5 minutes to allow heat to escape. After 15 minutes, use the frosting. At first, it will seem too liquidy, but the frosting will quickly cool as it is spread throughout the cake. Work quickly to frost the cake before the frosting cools completely — it will harden as it cools. Use an offset spatula or a butter knife to divide and spread the frosting evenly on the cupcakes, and sprinkle each with a pinch of flaky sea salt.
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