Chocolate Cupcakes with Vanilla Buttercream

Sunday night I needed a dessert fast for our Sunday night potluck. One thing I knew for sure, I had just the frosting to put on top of whatever it was I made. I love this buttercream. It's great on cookie cake, but it also shines on cupcakes. Or directly from the bag. Whatever. It's tasty.

I only have one cupcake pan, which turned this recipe for 16 cupcakes into 12 high domed wonders. I recommend the 12 little mountain tops, if you like that kind of thing...

Chocolate Cupcakes with Vanilla Buttercream

12-16 cupcakes

For the cupcakes:

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1 cup boiling water

1 1/3 cup all-purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup butter, room temperature

1 cup white sugar

2 large eggs

2 tsp vanilla

For the frosting:

1/4 cup butter

2 cups powdered sugar

2 1/2 TBSP milk

1/2 tsp vanilla

Make the cupcakes:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 F / 190 C. Line 12-16 muffin cups.

2. In a small bowl, stir together the hot water and cocoa until smooth. Let cool to room temperature.

3. Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl.

4. In your main bowl, cream butter and sugar. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla.

5. Stir in the dry ingredients until just incorporated, then add the cooled cocoa/water mixture and stir until smooth.

6. Fill cups 2/3 (or more) full. Bake 16-20 minutes. The cupcakes are done when you can insert a toothpick (which I never have, so a fork works too) and it comes out clean.

Cool the cupcakes before frosting.

Make the frosting:

1. Cream the (room temperature) butter and powdered sugar.

2. Stir in the milk and vanilla.

Frost!