Yellow Cupcakes with Chocolate Frosting

Yellow cake with chocolate frosting is my favor cake and frosting combination. Since I have ventured away from boxed foods, I have yet to attempt a yellow cake and have yet to find a really good chocolate frosting. Well, I am proud to say that I have found a yummy recipe for both yellow cake AND chocolate frosting. I made these cupcakes for my husband to take in to work. The recipe made 24 and since my carrier only holds 15, we get to keep 9 for us :)

Not So Yellow Cake
Source: The Beantown Baker
Ingredients:
3c cake flour (I used all purpose)
1tbsp baking powder
1/2tsp salt
1c unsalted butter, cubed and softened to room temperature
2c sugar
5 large eggs
2tsp vanilla
1 1/4c buttermilk

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350. Line 24 cupcake wells with paper liners. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt.

Place butter in the large bowl of an electric mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat for 3 minutes on medium high speed until the butter is light and creamy in color. Stop and scrape the bowl. Cream the butter for an additional 60 seconds.

Add the sugar, 1/4 cup at a time, beating 1 minute after each addition (I'll admit to being impatient and waiting only 30 seconds). Scrape the sides of the bowl before each addition. Add the eggs one at a time. Reduce the mixer speed. Stir vanilla into the buttermilk. Add the dry ingredients alternately with the buttermilk. Mix just until incorporated. Scrape the sides of the bowl and mix for 15 seconds longer.

Spoon the batter evenly into the prepared pans and smooth the top with a knife or off-set spatula. Lift up the pan with the batter, and let it drop onto the counter top a couple of times to burst any air bubbles and allowing the batter to settle.

Bake 18-20 minutes or until the cake is lightly brown on top and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool completely in the pans before removing the cakes and frosting.

Hershey's Perfectly Chocolate Frosting

Source: The Beantown Baker

Ingredients:

1 stick (1/2c) butter or margarine

1/3c HERSHEY'S Cocoa

3c powdered sugar

1/3c milk

1tsp vanilla

Directions:

Melt butter. Stir in cocoa. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating to spreading consistency. Add small amount additional milk or sugar, if needed. Stir in vanilla.

Recipe: Oreo Cupcakes

I made these cupcakes last weekend for a party. Everyone raved about them. I modified them from a recipe for a Cookies and Cream Cake I found on Annie's Eats. I think they turned out pretty well. They are very moist and have a rich chocolates taste and a creamy frosting. Just like Oreos.

Ingredients:

For the cupcakes:

2 cups sugar
1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
¾ cup cocoa powder
1 ½ tsp. baking powder
1 ½ tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
½ cup vegetable oil
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water

For the icing:

1 ¼ cups heavy cream
1/8 cup confectioners’ sugar
¼ tsp. pure vanilla extract
10 Oreos, chopped

For the topping:

15 - 20 crushed Oreos

Directions:
To make the cupcakes, preheat the oven to 350°. Place paper baking cups in a muffin pan or grease the bottom of the pans.

Stir together the sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Pour batter into prepared pans half full.

Bake 13-16 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely.

To make the icing, in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine the heavy cream, confectioners’ sugar and vanilla. Beat on low speed until all sugar is incorporated; increase speed to high and whisk until stiff peaks form. Gently fold in chopped cookie pieces with a rubber spatula.

Spread the icing on the tops of the cupcakes once they have been completely cooled. Dip the tops of the cupcakes into a bowl of crushed Oreos.

Source: Annie's Eats