CHOCOLATE CUPCAKE WITH CHOCOLATE ICING

My little man came down with Croup this past week.  It was so awful listening to him wheezing and coughing.  My friends daughter came down with it too, and she ended up in the emergency room getting a breathing treatment because it was so severe.  Luckily we caught Parker's early enough that we didn't need to do any breathing treatments.  The doctor put him on a 4 day steroid medication.  He's finally getting back to himself...running around non-stop, jumping off beds, and climbing up things he shouldn't be.  I just hate it when he's feeling bad and there's nothing I can really do for him.

Parker and I made these cupcakes the day before he started showing signs of Croup.  He was a big fan of the icing which he licked completely off the cupcake.  I was more of a fan of the cupcake itself.  The chocolate flavor really stood out and the cupcake was very moist.      

Cupcakes

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 cup buttermilk, room temp

3 heaping tbsp cocoa

1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter

1/2 cup water

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

1/4 tsp salt

1 egg, room temp

1/2 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Line cupcake tin with liners or spray with non-stick spray.

In a small bowl, dissolve baking soda in room-temperature buttermilk.  In a saucepan, melt butter and cocoa together at a low temperature. When smooth, add water.

In a electric mixing bowl with paddle attachment, mix together sugar, flour, and salt.  Add cocoa mixture and egg and mix at low speed.  Add buttermilk mixture and vanilla and beat until smooth.

Bake for 20 minutes or until inserted toothpick comes out clean.  

Icing

1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter

5 heaping tbsp cocoa

2 cups confectioner's sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1/4 cup milk

In the microwave melt the butter and let slightly cool.  In a electric mixing bowl, mix together cocoa and sugar.  Add melted butter, vanilla, and milk and beat at low speed until combined.  After cupcakes have completely cooled, frost each cupcake generously.  

*note to self: I would recommend trying a chocolate buttercream frosting with these cupcakes.  The icing is really yummy but I like a little more fluff.   

recipe from ming makes cupcakes