Best chocolate cupcakes ever...I mean ever!

I absolutely LOVE to cook.  Anyone who follows this blog knows this.  And I LOVE when folks love my cooking.  The same can be said for my baking skills.  I've developed a family reputation for baking cupcakes.  And quite frankly...I typically use a boxed mix.  Not gonna lie!  I usually doctor them up a bit, and I ALWAYS make my icing from scratch.  Never, ever, ever do I use canned icing.  Ever.  Never.  Because honestly...homemade butter cream icing is so simple...why would I do anything else?  I have found however, a chocolate cake recipe that I will make forever.  It's just that good.  And like just about everything else I make in the kitchen, I got the recipe somewhere...and then made it my own.  So if it sounds vaguely familiar...I'm sorry.  After playing with it for the last year or so, it's officially mine.  And I don't even know who to give original credit to.

So my baby sister sends me a text a few weeks ago.  She's hosting a jewelry party at her house, and wants me to bake some cupcakes.  Chocolate please...with sparkly icing!  So of course...I said yes!  Why not?  I love jewelry, I love cupcakes, and I LOVE sparkles!

With this recipe, I usually have all of the ingredients in the pantry so I can whip it up pretty quickly.  For the cake you'll need the following:

2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter (2 sticks), softened
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

This recipe makes 24 "jumbo" cupcakes, or 36 "normal" size cupcakes.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a medium size bowl...mix the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.  A trick I learned from none other than Martha Stewart...stir this all with a wire whisk.  It's almost as good as a sifter!  Really!

Beat the butter and sugar with the electric mixer.  I have a wonderful stand mixer...yay me!  But if you don't it's ok.  Use what you've got.  Do this on medium speed for about 5 minutes, or until it's light and fluffy.  Beat in the eggs one at a time.  I suggest stopping after this step to scrape the sides of the bowl.  You just want to make sure everything gets mixed well.

Next you'll mix in the sour cream, milk, and vanilla.  Hint...make sure that you get a good heaping cup of sour cream.  You'll find that sometimes when you're spooning it into the measuring cup it leaves air pockets.  No big deal...but if you don't have enough of the sour cream, your cake won't be as moist.

Scrape the sides of the mixing bowl again and then slowly add the flour mixture with the mixer on low.  Don't over beat.  I suggest that you scrape the sides one more time, and then mix for another few seconds to ensure that everything is incorporated.  At this point...while I absolutely cannot condone eating anything with raw eggs...I usually taste the batter.  And for the record...my mouth is watering thinking of that taste right now.  Mmmmmm...

Scoop the batter into your prepared paper cups, filling each about 2/3 to the top.  Bake for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Set these on a wire rack to cool.  You don't want to try icing them until they're not even close to warm.  Spiderman is NOT a required team member...but he doesn't hurt.

While your cupcakes are cooling...it's time to make your icing.  In the interest of full disclosure...I had a very hard time putting together the recipe for my icing.  I typically make it by sight.  Really.  I do.  But I wanted to share how easy it is, so I lovingly measured out each ingredient just for ya'll.  You're welcome!

Three simple ingredients: 2 cups of powdered sugar, 1 cup (2 sticks) of salted butter - softened, 1/2 teaspoon (or 1 cap-full) of vanilla.  That's it!

In your mixing bowl cream the butter on low.  Just long enough to make it smooth with no lumps.  Then add the powdered sugar on low.  And then the vanilla.  Mix it on medium for about a minute or two.

This is where your icing is going to play shift and mix a bit.  Depending on how warm it is in your house.  Or how humid it is outside.  Or if you're in the mountains, or by the ocean...or how long you let your butter soften.  All of these and none of these variables will determine the consistency of your icing.  Be prepared to add a touch of water if it's too thick.  And if it's too thin...add a little more powdered sugar.  Also keep in mind that if you're adding food coloring, that's a little more liquid too.

Once your icing is to the desired consistency and color, it's time to ice the cupcakes!  I'm no cupcake artist, but I do keep decorating bags and tips handy.  It's super simple to make a little star right on top.  And then sprinkle whatever you want on top.

Now set out your cupcakes and watch them be devoured!  They were very much appreciated at Angela's jewelry party...and I'll be making these again this weekend (with a more masculine theme) for my precious three year old's Captain America birthday party.

******Surprise tip of the day:
Substitute 1 ounce of red food coloring for the "+2 tablespoons" of milk and you've got red velvet cupcakes. Make a cream cheese icing (if you'd like a recipe...let me know) and it's as good as any you'll find at a bakery!