Death by Chocolate Cupcakes

Happy Monday!!

I hope you all had a great weekend.  Some of you may have had a first week of school already and some of you might be gearing up for it this week.  Either way, you're probably going to need some chocolate by this weekend.

My daughter and I are working through the online charter school option for our area.  That means she's at home with me but it also means she gets all her materials sent to her and she has a teacher and so on. That doesn't let me off the hook however, I'm with her all the time and helping her.  It's been an interesting first week but this week looks more promising. We're already in a better routine.

Just in time for a long weekend!!! Yay!  I'm going to make these cupcakes again for our neighborhood party.  Death by Chocolate, I can't think of a better way to go.

Death by Chocolate Cupcakes

Cupcakes by Sallys Baking Addiction

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter at room temperature
• 2 ounces semi-sweet baking chocolate
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, NOT Dutch
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 3/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 large whole eggs, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup buttermilk

Cooking Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350º
2. Line 12 cupcake/muffin cups with paper liners.
3. Melt the butter and baking chocolate together in either the microwave, or a small saucepan over medium heat.  Let cool when smooth and fully combined. 
4. In a medium sized bowl, combine the dry ingredients.  (Cocoa powder, flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt)
5. In the bowl of your stand mixer, using the whisk attachment, add the eggs and both sugars and combine until smooth. 
6. Add the vanilla and the cooled chocolate mixture and whisk until smooth.  
7. Add half the flour and half the buttermilk and mix until smooth.  Keep alternatively adding the flour mixture and the buttermilk until they have all been added and are smooth. Do not over mix, just mix until blended.  The mixture will be thick like pudding. 
8. Divide the batter evenly between all 12 prepared cupcake/muffin cups and bake for 18 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. 
9. Let cool completely before frosting. 

Whipped Chocolate Frosting

Frosting by Divas Can Cook

Ingredients

• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, at room temperature
• 1/2 Tbsp heavy whipping cream
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder, sifted
• 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
• pinch of salt
• Mini chocolate chips (optional, for decoration)

Cooking Directions

1. In the bowl of your stand mixer, add the butter and whip until light and fluffy.
2. Add the cream, vanilla extract and cooled melted chocolate chips, beat until well.
3. Add the cocoa powder and powdered sugar and salt and beat until light in color and texture.

**Top with mini chocolate chips, if desired**

Vanilla Cupcakes with Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

It seems to be birthday season in my neck of the woods.  We've attended more birthday parties since school let out then we did all year.  The birthday party I attended this past weekend was one that I made cupcakes for. I made both chocolate and vanilla, and was very happy with how they both turned out.  However, the frosting started to melt before the birthday girl even got to blow out the candles!  It was HOT outside!

At least they tasted good, and I did get this picture taken before the frosting melted. :)

I wonder if there is a good frosting recipe out there that won't melt in the hot weather….I'll have to research that.

I think the flavor and texture of these cupcakes are right on.  Very nice vanilla flavor, soft with a good crumb.  I will definitely make these again.

Oh, and the frosting recipe below is NOT the one I used for this recipe.  I used this recipe because it was requested by the birthday girls mom. It's delicious, but melts!

Vanilla Cupcakes

Recipe from Cookies and Cups

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cup cake flour
• 1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
• 4 whole eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 2 tsp vanilla extract

Cooking Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350º
2. Line cupcake pan with liners
3. Use your stand mixer to add the first 5 ingredients. Use the paddle attachment to combine thoroughly.
4. Begin adding the butter a little at a time until it's all added and the mixture looks like wet sand.
5. Add the eggs one at a time with the mixer on low.
6. Add the milk and vanilla while the mixer is still on low and then increase the speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes, scraping the sides as needed.
7. Fill the cups 2/3 full and bake for 15-20 minutes until the centers are set and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
8. Cool completely before frosting.

Vanilla Buttercream

Recipe from Cookies and Cups

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) salted butter, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup vegetable shortening
• 7-8 cups (2 LB) powdered sugar, sifted
• 1/2 cup milk

Cooking Directions

1. Use your stand mixer to cream together the butter and shortening. About 3 minutes.
2. Add the sugar while the mixer is on low speed, once it's all added you can increase the speed until it's about medium high and whip for 1 minute.
3. Add the milk slowly until the desired consistency is reached, if you get it too thin just add more sugar.

Ultimate Chocolate Cupcakes

You are looking at the little football cupcakes that I brought to the Super Bowl party I attended on Sunday.  They certainly did look adorable and good enough to eat.

My husband was my "tester" on this night because I'm still trying to stay off sugar for the most part so here is his review.
"The cake was moist, great chocolate flavor but not overpowering. The frosting was rich and creamy which was a fine contract to the cake itself.  Delicious with a big glass of milk!  Unlike most chocolate on chocolate desserts this cupcake is not so rich that you only want one.  Best cupcakes I've ever had."  

Overall the cupcakes where a hit.  I made a dozen and we had to leave early to get home and put my daughter to bed but there were only four left at that time. I'm sorry to say that my team didn't win but my cupcakes did, and that made me feel better!

Ultimate Chocolate Cupcakes
Recipe from Brown Eyed Baker via Cooks Illustrated

Cupcake Ingredients

• 3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
• 1/3 cup Dutch processed cocoa powder
• 3/4 cup hot coffee
• 3/4 cup bread flour
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 6 Tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 whole eggs
• 2 tsp white vinegar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Chocolate Frosting

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup confectioners sugar
• 3/4 cup Dutch processed cocoa powder
• pinch of salt
• 3/4 cup light corn syrup
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 8 ounces chocolate chips, melted (milk, semi-sweet or dark)

Making the cupcakes

1. Heat oven to 350º
2. Line 12 cupcake cups with paper liners. 
3. Add the chopped chocolate, cocoa powder and hot coffee to a medium bowl and stir until smooth.  Refrigerate for about 20 minutes. 
4. Mix the dry ingredients in another medium sized bowl and set aside. 
5. In the bowl of a stand mixer add the vegetable oil, eggs, vinegar and vanilla extract.  Whisk until smooth. 
6. Slowly add the cooled chocolate to the mixing bowl and whisk until smooth. 
7. Add the dry ingredients all at once to the mixing bowl and mix until smooth.  
8. Pour the batter into the prepared pan so there is an even amount in each cup and bake for 17-19 minutes. 
9. let cool slightly in the muffin pan for about 10 minutes and then move them to a cooling rack. 

Making the frosting

1. Use a food processor to blend the butter, sugar, cocoa powder and salt until smooth. 
2. Add the corn syrup and vanilla extract and process until smooth, 5-10 seconds. 
3. Scrape the sides of the bowl and then add the melted chocolate.  Pulse 10-15 one second pulses until smooth. 
4. The frosted cupcakes can be kept in an airtight container for up to 3 days. 

**There is another step for this cupcake that I opted not to do.  You can find it at the link I provided above.**

Twinkie Cupcakes

It's that time of year where I attempt my good eating so I can look good in a bathing suit and yet barbecue's and picnic's have me whipping up desserts like there is no tomorrow.  You'd think a fruit salad would cross my mind during one of these times.....

I am happy to say that my neighbor Melissa made these first, we both pinned it from Pinterest and they are amazing!  People who don't know they are called Twinkie Cupcakes always say "hey, these taste just like a Twinkie"!

Very vanilla-y and the creme in the middle as well as the frosting is so delicious.  As noted on the website were the recipe was found, these truly are better when cold so keep them in the refrigerator until right before you serve them if possible. 

Cut a little cone shape out of the top and then fill it up with marshmallow creaminess. 

The frosting is so good, vanilla flavor with the marshmallow there in the background.

I made these for a barbecue recently and they were very well liked.  It's a nice "safe" dessert if you're not sure what else to bring.  There are people out there that don't like chocolate (I know, hard to believe) Vanilla is always a safe bet!

Twinkie Cupcakes
Recipe from Sasaki Time

Ingredients

• 1 box yellow cake mix, plus the ingredients on the back of the box
• 1 small box fat free/sugar free instant french vanilla pudding
• 1 - 7oz marshmallow fluff
• 1/2 cup butter, room temperature
• 1/3 cup powdered sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 tsp very hot water

Cooking Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350º
2. Line two regular sized muffin tin's with cupcake liners (about 16)
3. Prepare the cake recipe as indicated on the back of the box, add in the box of french vanilla pudding mix and blend well.
4. Fill each cupcake liner about 2/3 full.
5. Bake for about 15-18 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
6. Let cool completely.
7. When cool, cut out a small cone from the tops of each cupcake - eat or discard the cut out cone and do NOT cut through the bottom of the cupcake.
8. In a separate bowl, mix the hot water and salt and let cool.
9. In the bowl of your stand mixer, add the marshmallow fluff, butter and beat until creamy.
10. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla and mix well.
11. Add the cooled salt water and mix again.
12. Put this mixture into a zip lock bag and cut off a corner, then pipe the cream mixture into the middle of each cupcake.

Marshmallow Buttercream Frosting

Ingredients

• 1 - 7oz container marshmallow cream
• 2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 - 32 oz bag confectioners' sugar

Cooking Directions

1. In the bowl of your stand mixer, add the marshmallow cream and butter, beat until creamy.
2. Add the vanilla and almost the entire bag of confectioners' sugar a little at a time until the desired consistency is reached.
3. I had about 1 cup leftover of the confectioners' sugar. If you get the mixture too stiff, add a little milk to thin it out.

Dark Chocolate Cupcakes

I made these recently for our "Dinner Club - Theme Irish" and I frosted them with Mint Buttercream and placed a York Peppermint Pattie inside.  They were delish.  I think this cupcake is versatile enough to frost with most anything.  When I found this recipe on "Tracey's Culinary Adventures" she had them frosted with Peanut Butter frosting that I'm dying to try!  Wouldn't it be yummy to also drop a Reese's Peanut Butter cup inside?  Oh yeah!

See the York Peppermint Pattie on the bottom? The chocolate from the york pattie sort of melted and when you took a bite it had a different texture which I loved.  You could tell you were biting into a piece of candy. 

I have can't wait to make these again soon.

 

Dark Chocolate Cupcakes
Found at "Tracey's Culinary Adventures" here


8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1/2 cup Dutch-processed cocoa
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
2 large eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1/2 cup sour cream (or Greek yogurt)

Move the oven rack to the bottom third of the oven and preheat to 350.  Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.

In heatproof bowl; put the butter, chocolate and cocoa powder.  Microwave for 30 seconds on 50% power and then stir.  Continue this until the mixture is melted and smooth.  Set the mixture aside to cool until just warm to the touch.

Use another small bowl to whisk the flour, baking soda, and baking powder together.

In the bowl of your stand mixer and using he whisk attachment, whisk the eggs and then add the sugar, vanilla and salt and continue whisking until fully incorporated. Add the cooled chocolate mixture and whisk.  Sift 1/3 of the flour into the bowl and whisk gently to combine.  Add the sour cream (or yogurt) and whisk to combine.  Finally add the rest of the flour mixture and whisk to combine.  The batter will be thick.

Fill each muffin tin about 2/3's full and bake until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean, about 18-20 minutes.

Cool in a rack for about 15 minutes and then remove each cupcake and place directly on the rack to cool completely.

Frost when completely cool.

Makes 12 cupcakes

Chocolate Mint Cupcakes with Mint Frosting

How bout this, I'm actually going to get a holiday recipe out BEFORE the actual holiday arrives.  Man I'm getting better every day!

Yes I am patting myself on the back right now, why?

Anyway, I decided to try to come up with my own little St. Patrick's Day cupcake since it seems like everyone is being way creative.  I'm not sure this is WAY creative but I think they turned out pretty nicely.

Did I mention it involves Mint Oreo's?  Did I mention you can switch the Mint Oreo for a York Peppermint Patty if you want? Just sayin.  You have options.

This recipe is easy.  Just drop an Oreo or peppermint patty on the bottom of the cupcake liner before you fill it with batter.  Fill it about 3/4 full and bake as directed.

I topped mine with a Thin Mint broken in quarters.

I used the Devils Food recipe from here.
In addition, you will need 2 Pkg's of either Mint Oreo's or York Peppermint Patties.

Mint Buttercream Frosting

2 sticks of butter, softened
2 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
1 1/2 tsp peppermint extract
Green Food Coloring - optional

Put the softened butter in the bowl of your stand mixer and mix on medium until the butter is light and fluffy - about 5 minutes.  Turn the mixer to low and add the confectioners sugar and extract.  Mix for another couple of minutes until smooth and add the food coloring until you reach your desired shade of green.

Devil's Food Cupcakes with Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

Cupcakes anyone?  I know right? How silly of me. Everyone loves cupcakes and you'll especially love these.  I couldn't get enough of them and I seriously thought about taking a bath in the batter.  It looks so smooth and velvety when your mixing it and the smell is outrageous. If my house hadn't been full of witnesses I might have started scooping it out with a spoon.  

I am glad I waited until they baked into this chocolaty cupcake though because then I got to top it with a delicious frosting.  The picture above is topped with buttercream frosting.  If you're looking for a chocolate overload you could use a chocolate frosting of your choice.   

Devil's Food Cupcakes 

Found on "Tracey's Culinary Adventures" here

3/4 cup unsweetened Dutch processed cocoa powder

3/4 cup hot water

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 1/4 tsp kosher salt

1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter

2 1/4 cups sugar

4 large eggs

4 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup sour cream

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 

Line cupcake pans with paper liners

In a small bowl mix the cocoa powder and water together and then set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk the other dry ingredients.  Flour, baking soda and salt. 

In a medium saucepan add the butter and sugar, cook over medium heat stirring occasionally until the butter has melted.  Pour the butter/sugar mixture into the bowl of your stand mixer with the paddle attachment and beat for 4-5 minutes on medium low speed until the mixture has cooled.  Mix in the eggs, one at a time and beat well after each addition.  Add the vanilla and then the cocoa mixture and mix well.  With the mixer on low, alternately add the dry ingredients (in 2 additions) with the sour cream (all at once) and beat until just combined. 

Fill the cupcake liners about 2/3's full and bake for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Transfer the pans to wire racks and let the cupcakes cool for 5 minutes before removing them.  Cool completely before frosting. 

Makes about 28 cupcakes

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

Brown Eyed Baker

1 cup (8 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2½ cups powdered sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

In the bowl of your stand mixer, use the whisk attachment to whip the butter on medium high speed for 5 minutes.  Scrape the bowl as needed. 

Put the mixer on low and add the powdered sugar a little at a time.  When all the sugar is added and incorporated you can increase the speed to medium-high and add the vanilla.  Mix well.  Whip at medium speed for a couple more minutes until light and fluffy. 

Vanilla Cupcakes

I made these yummy cupcakes for my daughters daycare holiday party.  I decorated them like snowmen and in the process of frosting them some of the cake/frosting FELL into my mouth.  It was the weirdest thing.  I'll tell ya, it took a lot of restraint on my part to not eat ALL this frosting.  I kept telling myself "it's for the children.....and maybe they won't eat them all".  But they did. It's probably just as well.

My house smelled sooooo good while these were baking.  There is just something about the smell of vanilla that I adore.

I decorated the cupcakes with some marshmallows, the bottom one I squished down with the palm of my hand and also put it flat side out.  I used pretzel sticks as arms and orange jelly candy for the nose.  I used a tube of black decorators frosting for the details and I would have put Hershey kisses or York Peppermint Patty's on his head as a hat (if I had of remembered to buy some).  I also put a pretzel stick on the bottom marshmallow to stick into the top of the cupcake to keep them from tipping over.

I got the cupcake and frosting recipe from one of my favorite websites "Brown Eyed Baker" found here

Vanilla Cupcakes

Yields 12 cupcakes

1½ cups all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon table salt
8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick), room temperature
½ cup sour cream
1 large egg , room temperature
2 large egg yolks , room temperature
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract

Pre-heat the oven to 350. Line a regular sized cupcake pan with paper liners.

In the bowl of your stand mixer add the butter, sour cream, egg and egg yolks and vanilla.  Blend on medium until smooth. In a separate bowl whisk together the dry ingredients and then slowly add them to the butter mixture.  The batter should look smooth when done.

Divide the batter evenly in the 12 cupcake pan and bake for 20-24 minutes.  The cupcakes will remain a pale color when done.  Use a toothpick to determine when they are done.

Cool on a wire rack until room temperature, then frost.
Vanilla Butter cream Frosting

Yields enough for 12 cupcakes
1 cup (8 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2½ cups powdered sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Mix the butter in your stand mixer until smooth, slowly add the confectioners sugar on low speed until completely blended.  Add the vanilla extract and mix well.  Mix on medium-high speed for about 2 minutes until light and fluffy.

Carrot Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Fall is upon us and all I want to do is be in my kitchen baking something.  Carrot Cake is a fall food to me; I think it's because it has cinnamon and spices that remind me of fall. I was really happy to make these for a friend of mine who is temporarily leaving town.  She'll be back in a year, but I miss her already. 

I made these for her going away party we had last weekend in our neighborhood and I was really happy with them.  The addition of crushed pineapple in the recipe is unexpected but so delicious. This recipe was for a cake and I made cupcakes out of it.  I'm not sure if there is a conversion necessary when doing this because they didn't release easily from the papers. The taste far outweighed any issues we had with unwrapping them..

Tender, flavorful, and sort of healthy....I mean they have carrots and pineapple so basically health food right? With the addition of raisins and nuts you have a pretty well rounded food.

Topped with Cream Cheese frosting, so good! Cream Cheese frosting recipe below.

Recipe found here

Cake/Cupcakes
3 eggs
3/4 cup buttermilk
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups white sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 cups shredded carrots (I used 3 cups because I didn't add the coconut, walnuts or raisins).
1 cup flaked coconut
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 (8 ounce) can crushed pineapple with juice
1 cup raisins

Heat the oven to 350 degrees.  If you're making a cake - grease and flour a 9x13 inch pan.  For cupcakes this recipe made 12 regular sized cupcakes and 24 minis.

In a bowl sift together the flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Set aside.

In another bowl add the shredded carrots and pineapple.  If you're using coconut, walnuts and raisins add them as well.

In the mixing bowl of your stand mixer add the eggs, buttermilk, oil, sugar and vanilla extract.  Mix well.  Add the flour mixture and incorporate well. Using a large wooden spoon or heavy spoon incorporate the carrot mixture by hand. 

Pour into the cake pan or muffin papers and bake for 1 hour if using a cake pan, if using cupcake papers it only took me about 25-30 minutes for the regular and about 20-25 minutes for the minis.  Check them often with a toothpick, once it comes out clean they are done.

Let them cool before frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting - recipe found here
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract


Mix all the ingredients in the bowl of your stand mixer until smooth.  Refrigerate any leftovers.

Cream Filled Cupcakes

My daughter recently had her 3rd birthday, I can't believe I have a 3 year old. Well I had decided a long time ago that I was going to make her cute little ladybug cupcakes.  Of course, a day before her party she tells me she wants pink cupcakes.....so I made both.  Chocolate was an easy choice, her favorite is chocolate.  I wanted to make these extra special so I searched the Internet and found these.  Cream filled cupcakes.  I mean honestly, Martha Stewart is a genius!  These taste just like Devil Dogs - this might be a Northern treat but if you've never had one they are yummy.  Sort of like a Little Debbie snacks.

This recipe is pretty standard for the cake part.  It called for Jumbo muffin cups but since I only had regular I just used those and they turned out just fine.

Now, the filling is easy to make also.  Just two ingredients; butter and marshmallow cream. Put it in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes and then put into a zip-lock bag, and cut the corner off.

Use a melon baller to scoop out the "plug" from the bottom.  Save this little plug.  Once the first scoop is out, scoop out a bit more so the filling has some space to go.

This one's a little full, but you get the idea. 

Now put the plug back in.  This takes a couple of tries to get the technique down and then it goes pretty quickly.

I tried several different methods of decorating these. First I tried just frosting the red on with a knife, and that worked just fine.  Then I started to fancy it up a bit by piping it on using a fancy tip.  I used a buttercream frosting that I found here. I used an entire tube of red food coloring here.  I took some of the frosting out of the bowl to make the pink frosting, and then left the rest for the red frosting.

You can buy these little eye's at Michael's craft store. I also bought the black frosting and I bought the tips that just screw onto the tube.  I did do some cupcakes that had the chocolate chips for spots, some that I used the black frosting to dot them on, some I used a cookie for the face (Keebler mint chocolate cookies were perfect) but I didn't have anything to make a mouth or antenna's with - and with the round head sort of sticking out from the cupcake I felt like it needed those things.  Eyes just weren't enough - so most of the cupcakes I did using this method shown above.

The pink one's were also all decorated differently.  I used a different method of decorating each of them, I think I made about 10 of them.  Some I put red sprinkles on like the one above, some I put chocolate chips on, some I left plain. 

But they were all filled with delicious cream.  Really, that was the best part.

You can find the cupcake and filling recipe here. I will make cream filled cupcakes a lot more in the future I enjoyed them so much.  A quick note, I made these on sort of a hot day here, keeping them refrigerated will make the filling MUCH better.  Otherwise it just sort of loses it's creaminess. The picture taken above was after they were refrigerated.

The chocolate cupcake recipe is delish, great chocolaty flavor without overpowering the filling. 

I also liked my choice of frosting here, it didn't overpower the cupcake or filling.

Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting

Guess what I made for our Memorial Day Party?  Oh, you guessed it, you're so smart.  I'm a fan of Chocolate and Peanut Butter coupled together, are you? OK, well these will make you very happy.  They aren't difficult and oh so yummy.  The frosting texture is different then you'd expect from your everyday average glossy frosting, but it melts in your mouth.  I hope you'll give em a whirl.

Let's start with the cupcakes, this is a very simple Hershey recipe.  The nice thing about this recipe is you can add all the dry ingredients in a bowl, and then just pile the wet ingredients right on top of that.  One bowl, I love it.

Start with the sugar.  2 cups.

Next, add the flour.

Now the star of the show, the chocolate.

You must have baking powder ya know.

Surprisingly you have to have baking soda too.

Now a touch of salt. Salt and chocolate are yummy together. Oh who am I kidding, chocolate and anything are yummy together.

Now frantically stir; like my two year old is demonstrating.  Just kidding, well this is my two year old but she just likes to stir stuff.  Although, you probably should give this a nice gentle stir just to incorporate all the ingredients.

Now add the eggs

and the milk...

...then the oil...

vanilla, and hot water (not pictured).

Begin by turning your mixer on the lowest speed until things start to combine.  This mixture will be runny so don't fret.

I transferred this into a bowl with a pour spout to simplify things.

Hopefully you've got some cupcake cups ready.

Fill the cups 3/4 of the way, then pop them in a 350 degree oven for about 20 minutes.

Aren't they lovely?

Now for the frosting.  In this bowl is a stick of butter (that's 1/2 cup) and 1 cup of creamy peanut butter.

Slowly incorporate the powdered sugar...

 
and the milk until it's creamy.  Then beat for an additional 3 minutes until it's nice and fluffy.

You can see the color has lightened a little and the texture has changed.

Now frost your cooled cupcakes. 

The cupcakes are very moist and chocolaty, and the frosting just melts in your mouth.  Great combination, wish I'd thought of it. The recipes are below.

Hershey's "Perfectly Chocolate" Recipe: Hershey's "Perfectly Chocolate" Chocolate Cake

2 cups sugar
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round baking pans.

2. Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Pour batter into prepared pans.

3. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. Frost with "PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" CHOCOLATE FROSTING. 10 to 12 servings.

Line muffin cups (2-1/2 inches in diameter) with paper bake cups. Heat oven to 350°F. Fill cups 2/3 full with batter. Bake 22 to 25 minutes. Cool completely. Frost. About 30 cupcakes.


Fluffy Peanut Butter Frosting: Peanut Butter Frosting

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup creamy peanut butter
3 tablespoons milk, or as needed
2 cups confectioners' sugar

Place the butter and peanut butter into a medium bowl, and beat with an electric mixer. Gradually mix in the sugar, and when it starts to get thick, incorporate milk one tablespoon at a time until all of the sugar is mixed in and the frosting is thick and spreadable. Beat for at least 3 minutes for it to get good and fluffy.