The Tuesday Treat: Chocolate Cupcakes

For an explanation of The Tuesday Treat, see here.

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Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

On a cupcake bender lately, and why not? This is my standard, super easy chocolate cake recipe that is even better for being a one-bowl deal. To make the frosting vegan, substitute an equivalent amount of non-dairy margarine, such as Earth Balance, for the butter.

Makes 1 dozen cupcakes

Chocolate Cupcakes

1 cup all-purpose flour
½ whole wheat pastry flour
¾ cup packed light or dark brown sugar
¼ cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
⅓ cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
1 cup water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a 12-cup cupcake tin with cupcake liners.

Whisk together the flours, sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Add the oil, vanilla, vinegar and water. Whisk and mix together until smooth. Pour into prepared pan and bake for about 20-25 minutes, until a tester inserted in the middle of a cupcake comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool in pan for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a rack to cool completely.

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

4 oz. milk chocolate chocolate, chopped
3 cups confectioners’ sugar
1 stick butter or margarine
2-3 Tbs. [soy] milk, plus more, if needed
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. salt

Heat chocolate a double boller until melted. Let cool to room temperature. In a bowl, of an electric mixer fitted with the flat beater, combine the confectioners’ sugar, butter, the milk, and vanilla and beat on low speed until combined, about 1 minute. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Increase the speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes, then reduce the speed to low. Add the chocolate and beat until combined, then increase the speed to medium and beat for 1 minute more.

If the frosting is dry, add more milk, 1 tsp. at a time, until it is creamy but still holds peaks.

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