Everyone in my family is a huge fan of cupcakes, and really love this version that I’ve been making for as long as I can remember.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 cups cocoa powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 cup boiling water

Directions

 
 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees farenheit. Fill muffin pans with 24 cupcake liners. Add all ingredients, except the boiling water, into a mixing bowl. (I recommend a batter bowl to easily pour the batter into the cupcake liners). Beat with a hand blender, stand mixer, or by hand with a wire whisk, until batter is completely combined and smooth. Add the boiling water, and whisk, just until blended. (Don’t be alarmed – the batter appears watery). Evenly ladle (or pour) the batter into the liners. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the center of the cupcakes spring back when lightly touched. Cool and frost.

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

Perfectly sweet, but not overly so, and light and creamy just like you’d want on a cupcake.

1/3 cup butter, just slightly cooler than room temperature
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar 
2-4 tablespoons milk, depending on desired consistency
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
food coloring, if desired

Beat butter in a medium-sized mixing bowl until creamy. Gradually beat in 3 cups of the powdered sugar. Beat in milk and vanilla. Blend in remaining 1/2 cup powdered sugar. If desired, tint with food coloring. (For the perfect pastel colored frosting, only 1 drop of food coloring is necessary).

Note

This recipe also makes a delicious Chocolate Layer Cake. To make as a cake, divide batter evenly between three oiled and floured 8″ round cake pans.

Bake in preheated 350 degrees fahrenheit oven for approximately 25 minutes, or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Remove from oven and cool on wire rack for 10 minutes. Invert cakes onto cooling racks until cooled. Frost layers as desired.

My go-to small kitchen appliances are:

Stand Mixer

Hand Mixer

Food Processor

Immersion Blender

Instant Pot

IT'S ME, SERENA!

In 2002, I was dreaming of creating a fun and happy little event to sell my vintage and handmade goods. In 2002, I held my first event in my neighbor's barn along with a handful of friends. The sale became wildly popular and began attracting visitors from across the country and recognition in national magazines. Today The Farm Chicks Vintage & Handmade Fair fills the Spokane County Fairgrounds and features hundreds of creatively and carefully curated spaces packed with vintage and handmade goods. Many describe it as a bucket list event, magical, inspirational, and the best event of its kind in the USA. I describe it as the best weekend of the year!

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