Bake: (Best Ever) Chocolate Cupcakes with Whipped Vanilla/ Chocolate Frosting

Who loves cupcakes? Everybody I know, including my family :) There is something magical about a little cupcake's ability to make people happy and brighten the day.

I've been meaning to try out a recipe for chocolate cake/ cupcakes for a while now.  I decided not to wait for a special occasion like a birthday, because every day is worth celebrating with my cutie pies! Besides, our family does not restrict or limit foods. Rather, we aim for eating foods in moderation and in a balanced way. 

This recipe advertises itself as the ''best chocolate cake ever", and I have to say - it was very moist and delicious. It very well could be the best chocolate cupcakes our family has eaten (and I have tasted my share of cupcakes)! I followed the Add a Pinch cupcake recipe exactly, but modified the frosting.

Chocolate cupcakes (Recipe Credit: Robyn Stone | Add a Pinch)Prep Time 10 mins; Cook Time 15-20 mins; Serves: 12 

Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup cocoa
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon espresso powder
• ½ cup milk
• ¼ cup vegetable oil
• 1 egg
• ½ teaspoon vanilla
• ½ cup boiling water

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 325º F.
2. Place cupcake liners in muffin tin. 
3. Add flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, salt and espresso powder to a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Whisk throughly to combine or, using your paddle attachment, stir through flour mixture until combined well.
4. Add milk, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla to flour mixture and mix together on medium speed until well combined. Reduce speed and carefully add boiling water to the cake batter. Beat on high speed for about 1 minute to add air to the batter.
5. Evenly distribute cake batter. Each cupcake liner should be about ¾ths full. (Note: Batter will appear very watery)
6. Place in the oven and bake about 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
7. Remove from the oven and allow the cupcakes to cool completely.

Whipped Vanilla (& Chocolate Buttercream) Frosting - Adapted from: Robyn Stone | Add a Pinch & Sweetapolita
Prep Time  10 mins ; Frosting for 12 cupcakes + 

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter (1 sticks), softened at room temperature
• 1-1.5 cups confectioner’s sugar, sifted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• pinch salt
• 1 tablespoon milk

Instructions

1. Place softened butter into the bowl of a stand mixer that has been fitted with the paddle attachment (I've used the whisk attachment with good results too). Turn the mixer on medium setting, and cream the butter until it is smooth and has lightened in color, about 5 minutes.
2. Add confectioner's sugar, ½ a cup at a time. After each cup has been incorporated, turn the mixer onto the highest speed setting and for about 10 seconds to lighten the frosting.
3. Add vanilla, milk, and a pinch of salt and combine on low speed until combined.
4. Increase speed to medium for another 6 minutes until light and fluffy.
5. To make chocolate frosting, I took some of the vanilla frosting out in a separate bowl and added unsweetened cocoa (the same I used for the cupcakes) until it was the right color and chocolate flavor.