Name: Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Buttercream Icing
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 1 h 5 min
Yield: 24
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 1/2 cup all-purpose flour; 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder; 1 1/4 tsp baking soda; 1/4 tsp baking powder; 1 tsp salt; 1 2/3 cups granulated sugar; 2/3 cup butter, softened; 2 eggs; 1 1/4 cup water; 1 tsp vanilla; 1 cup butter, softened; 1 tbsp butter; 3 1/2 cups icing, confectioners sugar; 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder; 2 tsp vanilla extract; 4 Tbsp milk

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Evan’s birthday falls right after the end of the school year here in Calgary. In years past, I have been a very bad Mommy and ignored the fact that everyone else takes in cupcakes for their kid’s birthday. It was as if Evan’s birthday didn’t even exist in the realm of school. This year, since I quit working I didn’t really feel like I could use the “I’m too busy” excuse of old so I sucked it up and made chocolate cupcakes.

Evan would tell you that these are QUITE what he asked for. He wanted chocolate cake with vanilla and chocolate icing done with a different piping tip for each. Ummm….no. I was quite the popular mom at the kindergarten today as all the kids ate their cupcakes in record time, even the little girl who Evan wanted me to bring a cookie for because she doesn’t like cake (Awwww…..but NO).

These cupcakes were delicious. Since I didn’t have a ton of time to make these on the day I planned to take them to the school, I made the cupcakes the day before and frosted them the next day. They were still moist and delicious after a night out on the counter loosely covered in plastic wrap.

Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Buttercream Icing

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes

The perfect cupcakes for a birthday party!

Ingredients

Cupcakes

2 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 2/3 cups granulated sugar
2/3 cup butter, softened
2 eggs
1 1/4 cup water
1 tsp vanilla

Frosting

1 cup butter, softened
1 tbsp butter
3 1/2 cups icing, confectioners sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tsp vanilla extract
4 Tbsp milk

Instructions

Cupcakes

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Prep a muffin tin with cupcake papers.
In medium bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until fluffy.
Add two eggs and mix.
Add flour mixture to the butter, sugar, egg mixture and mix thoroughly.
Add water and vanilla and mix.
Spoon in to cupcake papers until approximately 2/3 full.
Bake for 18 - 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in to the center comes out clean.
Cool completely before frosting.
Recipe makes 24 cupcakes (I got 26 but a couple of mine were really small).

Frosting

Sift together icing sugar and cocoa powder.
Cream butter with an electric mixer on medium speed for ~30 seconds.
Turn off mixer, add icing sugar and cocoa mixture.
Mix using low speed (unless you want a sugar cloud!) until the sugar and butter combine.
Add milk and vanilla.
Mix for 3 minutes on medium high.
Adjust for thickness by adding powdered sugar if it is too thin or adding milk 1 tsp at a time if it is too thick.
Spoon frosting in to a piping bag to pipe on to cupcakes or spread on with a knife.

Notes

- Make sure to use butter for the icing that is softened but NOT melted. - Set a timer for mixing the icing. Incorporating air in to the frosting is key for deliciously light buttercream.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

24
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 374Saturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 49mgSodium: 348mgCarbohydrates: 48gFiber: 1gSugar: 34gProtein: 2g

We will be making these again for Evan’s birthday party on the weekend. Since this was my first try at piping icing on to cupcakes, a few looked less than optimal. Be assured, sprinkles cover a MULTITUDE of sins!