TWO STEP YUMMY CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES

SUPER EASY MOIST DELICIOUS DARK CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES WITH VANILLA BUTTERCREAM

A friend requested a simple chocolate cupcake with vanilla buttercream for her husband's birthday party.  I have a hard time doing "simple" when it comes to my finished products but in the end I created a simple yet delicious and gorgeous cupcake!  The cake has two simple steps--it's hard to mess this one up!  These are a great cupcake to make for your next celebration or you can order them from me via my "price list" label on my blog.  

Dark Chocolate Cupcakes

Ingredients:

Easy Chocolate cupcakes

makes 12 cupcakes

• 1 ¹⁄₂cups flour
• 1cup sugar
• 1teaspoon baking soda
• 1teaspoon salt
• ¹⁄₂cup dark unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1cup milk
• 1 egg
• ¹⁄₂cup vegetable oil
• 1 tsp vinegar

Directions:

1. Add all dry ingredients (flour, sugar, baking soda, salt and cocoa powder) to a mixing bowl and mix until incorporated.  

2. Add all the remaining liquid ingredients (adding the vinegar last).  Pour it all on top of the dry ingredients and then then mix until smooth (but do not over mix!).

Bam you are done!  Fill cupcake papers 3/4 full of batter. Bake 15 to 18 min at 350 degrees.  

Remove cupcakes from the pan immediately and allow them to cool on a cooling rack.  Touch the top of the cupcakes to test if they are done.  If they are done the cupcake will spring back rather than leaving an indentation from your finger.  While they are cooling you can make your Vanilla Buttercream.  **I always put my cupcakes in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before I frost them.

Vanilla Buttercream

Ingredients:

For 24 cupcakes or 12 cupcakes w/ a lot of frosting!

• 1cup unsalted butter, softened at room temp
• 1 cup shortening
• 7 cups powdered sugar
• 1-2 TBS heavy whipping cream
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• ¹⁄₈teaspoon salt

Directions: 

Beat butter and shortening on high for 3 minutes until light and fluffy.  Add the remaining ingredients mix until fluffy and light (only add 1 TBS of heavy cream to begin with).  Add a little more heavy cream at a time to get your desired consistency.  

Frost your cooled cupcakes.  Optional decorate with mini chocolate chips or chocolate drizzle.

Semi-Sweet Chocolate Drizzle

Ingredients:

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 TBS shortening

Directions:

Melt ingredients in a double boiler until smooth.  Place your frosted cupcakes in the fridge to harden your frosting before drizzling your chocolate over it. Drizzle hot melted chocolate over chilled frosting. Allow the chocolate to harden--Enjoy!!   

Love, TATA