Black Magic Cupcakes

I have to start with a disclaimer - I am a super new baker and I bake from home without experience nor training. And this will be very apparent as you see my frosting today. HAHAHA! It's my first time using a pastry bag to frost cupcakes, needless to say, they look like quite a mess. It's definitely not as easy and smooth-flowing as what you see on tv. Oh well, practice makes perfect, so here's to more cupcakes for me to frost!

Anyway, today I attemped a chocolate cupcake that goes by the fancy name of black magic cupcakes. A very rich chocolate cupcake laced with a hint of coffee as the recipe calls for strong black coffee. What I love about this recipe is there's only 2 steps to mixing the batter. It's almost like pouring everything into a bowl and mix!

The cupcakes are then frosted with a really easy chocolate buttercream. I dare say this buttercream is so yummy you can use this on any cupcake or cake and it will instantly yummify it! I admit I wanted to lick the mixing bowl clean even before I started to frost...

This recipe will bake 24 cupcakes. I halved it for 12 cupcakes. Here's what you'll need:

Black Magic Cupcake

- 2 cups granulated white sugar

- 1 3/4 cups flour

- 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

- 2 teaspoons baking soda

- 1 teaspoon baking powder

- 1 teaspoon salt

- 2 eggs

- 1 cup buttermilk

- 1 cup strong black coffee
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil

- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

- 1/2 cup unsalted butter

- 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

- 2 cups confectioner's sugar

- 1/4 teaspoon salt

- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

- 1/4 cup milk

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line muffin tray with paper cups.

2. Cupcakes: Whisk together the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt.

3. Mix in the eggs, buttermilk, black coffee, vegetable oil and vanilla extract. The batter will be very thin.

4. Fill the muffin cups with the batter until 2/3 full.

5. Bake for 35 - 40 mins and until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Let the cupcakes cool completely on a wire rack before you frost them.

6. Frosting: Beat the butter until smooth.

7. Mix in the cocoa powder, sugar and salt. The mixture will be crumbly.

8. Add the vanilla extract and milk and beat for 4 mins.

9. Then frost the cooled cupcakes with a pastry bag fitted with a star-shaped nozzle, or you can spread the frosting with an off-set spatula.

To end it off, eat 2 cupcakes immediately! That's what I did anyway.... *grins*