Ridiculously easy chocolate cupcakes with vanilla buttercream frosting – a guaranteed crowd pleaser

Last week, I caught up with a friend and her newborn – a 2 week old – at her house.  Busy myself with a toddler and a newborn (a 7 week old), I decided that instead of popping out to the shops to buy something for morning tea, it would be far easier (as well as therapeutic) to whip some of these Martha Stewart wonders up the night before whilst both my children were fast asleep…

I used her ONE-BOWL CHOCOLATE CUPCAKE recipe which is exactly that – everything mixed up in one bowl.  And I topped it with her very easy FLUFFY VANILLA FROSTING – which when whipped for a prolonged period in a standing mixer is super smooth and saves you the time and effort it would normally take to whip up a batch of Swiss meringue buttercream.

I also learnt a new piping technique from a variety of YouTube videos to make the buttercream roses which was simple as pie.  Use a Wilton 1M piping tip and instead of piping from the outside in, pipe from the middle out – too easy.  Plus – it’s got the advantage of using less buttercream.. great for when you’re running a little low AND you could argue its health benefits in reducing the sugar load for your loved ones!

Now these chocolate cupcakes are deliciously tender and not too sweet which is perfectly matched with the frosting that is guaranteed to satisfy every sweet tooth.

ONE-BOWL CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES
Makes 18

INGREDIENTS
1.5 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
1.5 cups sugar
1.5 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
2 large eggs
3/4 cup buttermilk
3 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup warm water

DIRECTIONS
Preheat over to 350F/175C.  Line standard muffin tins with paper liners.  With an electric mixer on medium speed, whisk together flour, cocoa, sugar, baking soda, baking powder & salt.

Reduce speed to low.  Add eggs, buttermilk, oil, extract, and the water.

Beat until smooth and combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each about two-thirds full.

Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in centres comes out clean, about 20 minutes.

Transfer tins to wire racks to cool 10 minutes; turn out cupcakes onto racks and let cool completely.  Cupcakes can be stored overnight at room temperature, or frozen up to 2 months, in airtight containers.
FLUFFY VANILLA FROSTING
Makes about 4 cups

INGREDIENTS
1.5 cups (3 sticks / 330 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 pound (4 cups) confectioners’ sugar, sifted
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS
With an electric mixer, beat butter on medium-high speed until pale & creamy, about 2 minutes.

Reduce speed to medium.  Add the confectioners’ sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down sides of bowl as needed; after every two additions, raise speed to high and beat 10 seconds to aerate frosting, then return to medium.  This process should take about 5 minutes.  Frosting will be very pale and fluffy.

Add vanilla, and beat until frosting is smooth.  If not using immediately, frosting can be refrigerated up to 10 days in an airtight container.  Before using, bring to room temperature, and beat on low speed until smooth again, about 5 minutes.

————————-

With a little bit of pink food gel, the cupcakes were perfect for our mother-daughter morning tea…