Ah…mazzzing Chocolate Cupcakes

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I think every baker needs a few “go to”, staple recipes that they can whip up from memory because they’ve made them so many times. My Ah…mazzzing Chocolate Cupcakes is one of those recipes for me. This recipe is so versatile, in that you can make it into 24 cupcakes or a three layer 8-inch cake, and with simple variations in frosting, there are endless possibilities to what you can create with it. This recipe bakes up cupcakes (or a cake) with a dense, moist, rich chocolate crumb that is so satisfying to your taste buds. So, of course we HAD to include them on the dessert table at Sky’s 3rd Birthday party for the chocolate lovers that are attending.

Now, let’s talk about the ingredients. For this recipe, you are going to need flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, Himalayan pink salt, buttermilk, vegetable oil, eggs, vanilla extract and boiling water.

To make the cupcakes, begin by preheating the oven to 350°F. Prepare two 12-count muffin tins by lining them with paper liners and set them aside while you mix up the cupcake batter.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, salt, baking soda and baking powder; whisk until combined and set aside while preparing your wet ingredients. In a large bowl whisk together the buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla extract.

Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and whisk until the batter is smooth and all ingredients are fully incorporated. Add the boiling water to the batter and slowly whisk until fully combined.

Using a large cookie scoop, fill the paper liners to about ¾ full. Bake for 14-16 minutes or until the cupcakes spring back at the touch. Allow the cupcakes to cool completely before frosting them.

For Sky’s Birthday party, I frosted these Ah…mazzzing Chocolate Cupcakes with my Vanilla Buttercream, but I’m including pictures in this post of some of my other favorite frostings, including my Chocolate Peanut Butter Frosting and my delicious Cream Cheese Frosting garnished with some mini chocolate chips. Feel free to get creative with your frosting choices to top these cupcakes.

For my Vanilla Buttercream frosting, you are going to need vegetable shortening, salted butter, vanilla extract, confectioners’ sugar, and milk or heavy cream. I prefer to use heavy cream when making this frosting, because I believe it gives the frosting more of a whipped texture.

To make my frosting, cream together the butter, shortening and vanilla in a large bowl. Blend in the sugar, one cup at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the milk (or cream) and continue mixing until light and fluffy. Keep your frosting covered until you are ready to frost the cupcakes.

I guarantee after you bake up some of these cupcakes, this is going to become one of your “go to” recipes as well. I like to store these covered in the refrigerator until I’m ready to serve them, because they stay extremely dense and moist that way. Simply remove them and let them sit out on the counter for 15 minutes before serving. Enjoy!