A few weeks ago I was asked to bake for an event. My immediate response was, why not?! I love baking and I love making other people smile when I do. After committing, I was a bit overwhelmed to realize that in the fine print of the opportunity, my task was to bake for a women’s night for 90 women. Oh my goodness… this was nothing like I had done before. Now it was time to step up my game! Having baked for multiple weddings in my baking career (including my own!), I remembered that baking for this many people is a lot of pressure! My baking would be put under the microscope, especially because there were going to be a lot of bakers in the group. I knew I had to impress, so I went to work in my small kitchen and came out with the decadent chocolate cupcakes that you are witnessing right now. I shipped them off to the women’s night and the feedback I got was great. Every single cupcake was devoured. Cheers to taking on bigger and better challenges in life! 

Makes around 30 chocolate cupcakes

Ingredients:

Chocolate Cupcakes:

Paper liners for lining the cupcake pans

1 3/4 cups                         All-purpose flour, plus more for dusting pans
2 cups                                White sugar
3/4 cups                           Cocoa powder
2 teaspoons                     Baking soda
1 teaspoon                       Baking powder
1 teaspoon                       Kosher salt
1 cup                                 Buttermilk, shaken
1/2 cup                            Vegetable oil
2                                       Large eggs, at room temperature
1 tsp                                Pure vanilla extract
1 cup                               Freshly brewed hot coffee

Frosting:

• ½ cup salted butter
• ½ cup cocoa powder
• 3 ⅔ cup powdered sugar
• 6-7 Tbsp. milk
• 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line the cupcake pans with paper liners (make sure they are good liners or else the cake will stick to them).
• Whisk the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.
• In a medium bowl, combine the buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla.
• With a whisk, slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry until it is all incorporated.
• Add the coffee and stir just to combine, scraping the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for 13-16 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in the pans for 15 minutes, then put on a cooling rack and cool completely.
• While the chocolate cupcakes are in the oven, mix together the chocolate icing in a bowl.
• In a medium microwave safe bowl, melt the butter completely. Whisk in the cocoa powder and heat for another 30 seconds in the microwave. Add powdered sugar and milk alternatively (start with the powdered sugar). Add vanilla and beat well.
• 1. If you use this frosting while still warm, it is easily spreadable and has the glossy finish when dried like you see in the photo but can slide off of whatever you are frosting. If you let it cool completely, it firms up and can be placed into a pastry bag for piping for decorating your cupcakes. The icing can be refrigerated to use later; just microwave 10 seconds at a time, and stir, until you get to the right consistency for piping or spreading.
• Spread the tops of the cooled chocolate cupcakes with the chocolate icing. Sprinkle sprinkles on top if you desire (this is pretty much for looks!)
• Now don’t eat all the chocolate cupcakes yourself!