Chocolate Cupcakes and Vanilla Cupcakes with Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

Both of these recipes are simple and classic. They're easy to make and always a hit. I usually don't use cupcake papers, but I found tin foil ones at the store and was able to put the batter in the papers and bake them right on a cookie sheet. I halved each recipe so that I wouldn't have a ton of each type of cupcake, but I will put the full ingredient amounts here. Also, I piped the icing on the cupcakes using a reusable Wilton piping bag fitted with a large star tip. When piping icing on cupcakes, hold the bag upright and then when you're ready to pull the tip off, don't pull straight up, rather pull to the side. This will eliminate an unwanted pointy tip. Don't overfrost because the frosting is VERY sweet.

The first recipe is a Devil's Food Cupcake. The recipe is from Chockylit (http://cupcakeblog.com/?p=10). She uses a chocolate buttercream frosting on her, but I opted for vanilla so as not to cause chocolate overload.

Ingredients:

Oven: 350 degrees

2 cups flour

2 cups sugar

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder( I used Trader Joe's)

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup butter (Unless you're using a Kitchenaid Mixer, I'd let it soften a bit)

2 tsp vanilla

2 eggs

Directions:

1- Add everything to a mixing bowl except eggs

2- Mix on low until incorporated

3- Mix on high for about 2 mins

4- Add the eggs

5- Mix on high for about another 2 mins

6- Measure out into cupcake papers or tin. Fill about halfway

7- Bake for about 15-20 mins or until knife comes out clean. Transfer to wire rack to cool

The second recipe is for Vanilla Cupcakes. The recipe is from Confessions of a Bake-a-holic (http://bradleykitchen.blogspot.com/2010/04/vanilla-cupcakes-with-vanilla.html).

Ingredients:

Oven: 375 degrees

3/4 cups butter (Again, unless you're using a Kitchenaid Mixer, I'd let it soften a bit)

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 eggs

2 tsp vanilla

2 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

2 1/2 cups flour

1 1/4 cups milk

Directions:

1- Beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy (About 2 mins- It should come together)

2- Add eggs and vanilla and mix well

3- Add baking powder, salt, flour, and milk

4- Mix until well combined

5- Measure out into cupcake papers or tin. Fill about halfway

6- Bake for about 20 mins or until knife comes out clean. Transfer to wire rack to cool

The third recipe is for Vanilla Buttercream Frosting. It's a basic recipe, so you can find it on pretty much any website. It will be enough to frost cupcakes from one recipe both recipes if you halve them.

Ingredients:

1- 4 cups powdered sugar (This is about 1 box. You can do 3.5 cups to make the icing a little less sweet)

2- 1/2 cup butter, softened

3- 1 tsp vanilla

4- 1/4 cup milk

Directions:

1- Beat butter and powdered sugar until combined

2- Add vanilla and milk

3- Beat everything until light and fluffy.

Frost when cupcakes are cooled. Should you have any additional frosting, you can freeze it.

Have fun:)