Sounds all fancy doesn’t it!

The cupcake is a convenient way to enjoy the deliciousness of chocolate cake, without the guilt of a “far too big” portion.

These chocolate cupcakes are great for parties, gatherings, or just for the fun of baking them!

Keep reading and give one of my favorite chocolate cupcake recipes a try.

Yield:16 cupcakes

Ingredients:

• 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1 ½ cups white sugar
• 2 eggs
• ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup milk

Directions:

1) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a muffin pan with foil or paper liners. Depending on the time of year, you can really have fun with this step because many liners come animated (flowers for spring, pumpkins for fall, snow flakes for winter, etc). Of course you could also just use a bold color to spice up the look of these little cakes or a muted color for a more formal occasion. After all the cups are lined, set the pan aside. Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa, and salt in a medium bowl and set aside.

2) Cream together butter and sugar in a large bowl until the batter is light and fluffy. Add the eggs, slowly, one at a time and then stir in the vanilla. Add in the flour mixture, alternating with the milk; beating well.

3) Fill the muffin cups ¾ full. If you’ve got any extra cupcake molds left over in the pan, then simply remove the prepared liner and fill the mold with a little bit of water, to prevent the pan from buring. You can store the liner away and use it again some other time.

4) Put the chocolate cupcakes in the oven. Bake the chocolate cakes for 15-17 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let them cool completely and then set aside.

(Optional) After your cupcakes are completely cooled you can use a purchased can of frosting or some of your own homemade frosting and lightly frost the cupcakes.

Depending on your specific tastes you can alter the type of frosting you use. For those chocoholics out there, use a delectable chocolate frosting or if you want a lighter taste I would recommend a complimenting white frosting.

Either way, these cakes turn out delicious but each frosting offers a completely different taste! So have fun with it, save this recipe, enjoy these chocolate cupcakes, and maybe even share a few!

This vanilla buttercream frosting recipe is perfect for a vanilla or white cake that seems a little plain Jane or even for a chocolate cake that seems a little too sweet. Any way you spread it, this vanilla buttercream frosting takes the cake.

Yield: 4 cups; enough to frost one 9-inch 2 layer cake or one 8-inch three layer cake

Ingredients:

• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• a pinch salt
• 1 pound (4 sticks) unsalted butter, softened, each stick cut into quarters

Directions:

1) Combine the eggs, sugar, vanilla, and salt in the bowl of a standing mixer. Place the bowl over a pan of simmering water. (Do not let the bottom of the bowl touch the water.) Whisking gently but constantly, heat the mixture until it is thin and foamy and registers 160° on an instant-read thermometer.

2) Beat the egg mixture at medium-high speed until light, airy, and cooled to room temperature which usually takes about 5 minutes. Reduce the speed to medium and add the butter, one piece at a time.

3) After adding ½ the butter, the buttercream may look curdled; but no worries, it will smooth out with additional butter. Once all the butter is added, increase the speed to high and beat 1 minute, until light, fluffy, and thoroughly combined.

4) Once you’ve thoroughly combined all the ingredients, your rich vanilla buttercream frosting is ready. So once your cake is completely cooled frost it and serve up a slice.

Any leftover frosting that you may have can be covered and refrigerated for up to 5 days.

The perfect thing about having leftovers is that it gives you an excuse to make another cake with that delicious vanilla buttercream frosting.

Lather the frosting on your favorite cake and enjoy!

This chocolate frosting recipe is not only delicious but it is easy too!

Anyone can use frosting from the can, but it takes a true baker to make their own.

Suddenly, you will be the star of that neighborhood block party when you bring out your delicious cake covered with this decadent rich chocolate frosting that you have made from scratch.

Yield: 4 cups; enough to frost one 9-inch 2 layer cake or one 8-inch three layer cake

Ingredients:

• 16 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chopped fine
• 1 ½ cups heavy cream
• 1/3 cup light corn syrup
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

1) Place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Bring the heavy cream to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Pour over the chocolate. Add the corn syrup and let it stand for three minutes.

2) Whisk gently until smooth. Stir in the vanilla. Refrigerate 90 minutes- stirring every 15 minutes, until the frosting reaches a consistency that makes it easy to spread, a little thinner than the consistency of cream cheese).

3) Once the frosting is ready, spread it onto the cake, using a light ‘crumb layer’ of frosting to prevent excess crumbs lodged in your frosting. (This ‘crumb layer’ should be a lighter consitency… about the consitency of sour cream. You can add water to the frosting to thin it down.)

This frosting is perfect for a chocolate cake, a yellow cake, or even a white cake. With something so versatile, it is no wonder that it is delicious as well!

So instead of grabbing for that can of frosting that has been sitting on the grocery store shelf for longer than you would like to know, make a different decision and instead make a rich chocolate frosting all by yourself. Believe me it is well worth the effort!