Chocolate Cupcakes with Vanilla Buttercream

Until now, I have been using a doctored cake mix recipe to make my chocolate cupcakes, and they've always been a huge hit, but it never felt like I had truely made them myself. Here is my own, original recipe for chocolate cupcakes!

Ingredients

Cupcakes:

2 cups sugar

1 3/4 cups flour

3/4 cups powdered cocoa

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1 packet instant chocolate pudding

2 tsp vanilla

3/4 cups oil

3/4 cups hot water

3 eggs

1 cup sour cream

Buttercream frosting (frosts 12)

1/2 cup butter (1 stick)

4 cups confectioners sugar

1/4 cup milk

1 tsp vanilla

Instructions

Cupcakes:

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Add the sugar, flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, salt and pudding mix to a large bowl and blend throughly (I used a fork to do this step). Then add vanilla and eggs, followed by the oil and hot water (water must be HOT in order to activate the pudding mix, which is a big factor in this cakes moistness). Finally, mix in the sour cream and blend thoroughly. Line cupcake tins with liners and fill about 2/3 of the way full. Bake for 20-23 minutes or until toothpick inserted into the middle of the cupcake comes out clean. Let cool completely.

Frosting:

Put room temperature butter in a bowl and add 2 cups of sugar and the milk and vanilla. Using an electric mixer blend on medium speed for about 5 minutes until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Add the remaining sugar 1 cup at a time. After each addition blend for two minutes. Add food coloring if desired. Frost your yummy cupcakes and eat them!!!

These cupcakes are UNREAL. SooOooOoo moist and delicious and chocolatey... I have to admit I am extremely proud of myself. The frosting was, literally, the icing on the cake. So light and fluffy, and just YUM! You need to make sure you add the full 4 cups of sugar and are making the frosting in a cool room, otherwise your pretty designs will essentially melt (I may have had some issues with this...). Otherwise a PERFECT 10!!!!