Chocolate Cupcakes with Frosting 

Ingredients:

1 cup Flour

1/3 cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder

1 teaspoon Baking Soda

Pinch of Salt, about 1/8 teaspoon

2/3 cup Sugar (regular granulated white)

¼ cup Butter, at room temperature

2 Eggs (or egg substitute)

1 teaspoon Vanilla

½ cup Buttermilk

Procedure:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Combine flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt in a bowl, stir with whisk or fork

Mix butter and sugar with an electric mixer or your muscle until smooth and creamy, add egg and vanilla, mix until smooth. 

Stir in flour mixture and buttermilk, adding a little of one then the other until all is combined into a batter 

Prepare baking pan, with paper muffin liners, or grease dusted with flour – makes 12 cupcakes.  If you prefer a cake, bake in a 8”x8” square pan, greased and floured.

Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until it springs back when lightly touched another test is to stick a toothpick in it, when it comes out clean (no batter stuck to it!) it is done.  Place on a cooling rack or cutting board to cool.

If you want to keep it simple, serve it plain with ice cream, dust it with powdered sugar for some decoration, or use the frosting I used described below.

Frosting:

½ cup Butter – room temperature

1 teaspoon Vanilla

Pinch of Salt

2 Tablespoons Milk

3 cups Powdered Sugar

This is definitely easier with an electric mixer, mix butter and sugar until combined, with be crumbly, add in salt and vanilla, mix a little more, slowly add in milk, mixing as you go, when it is the texture you like, you are done.  I find everyone has a little different idea of how stiff frosting should be.  Frost your baked cupcakes or cake and ENJOY!

Kids and adults love these.  They are light, but flavorful, a real treat.