Devil’s Food Cupcakes (Makes 6)

Makes 6 cupcakes

(Filled almost to the top, comes up in a dome shape)

Ingredients:

1/4 c  cocoa powder (dutch process, regular, it really doesn’t matter)

1/4 c hot water

3/4 c all purpose flour

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

3/4 stick butter

1/2 c sugar

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp almond extract or mint extract or orange extract or raspberry extract

1/4 c sour cream

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.

2a. Mix flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in one bowl.

2b. Mix cocoa and hot water in second bowl. Let dissolve.

3. Melt butter and sugar in saucepan over medium heat. Remove from heat. Beat till cooled. Add egg. Add vanilla. Add cocoa. Add flour mixture. Add sour cream. Do not overmix.

4. Divide batter evenly among paper muffin cups. Bake 15 min. Let cool completely before frosting.

5. Cupcakes can be frozen for two months in airtight containers.

VERDICT: SO YUM!! Make it as above if you are going to use one of the frostings below.

IF YOU ARE NOT GOING TO FROST THIS CUPCAKE, add chocolate chips to the batter. And marshmallow fluff or a handful of small marshmallows. Maybe some nuts? And some chopped graham crackers? Then serve with Haagen Daaz Rocky Road Ice Cream. Yum yum yum.

NOTE: This is one fourth the original recipe. If you increase the above four times (or follow this recipe: http://www.marthastewart.com/1004063/devils-bundt-cake) you will have enough to fill a 10 c bundt cake pan. Then top it with frosting and sprinkle with confectioner’s sugar and serve for company.

Hostess Cupcake: This cupcake can so easily be turned into a hostess cupcake! Fill it with marshmallow fluff, and top with chocolate frosting. Yum!

Vanilla Frosting

3 T Flour
1/2 C milk (whole milk is best, but I use non-fat when it’s all I have and it’s actually fine)
1/2 C real butter (I prefer salted, but you can use also unsalted and add salt to taste)
1/2 C sugar (that’s granulated sugar, not powdered sugar)
1 t vanilla extract, or other flavor if you wish.

Whisk together the flour and the milk. Heat in a small sauce pan on medium heat.
Whisk continuously until it starts to thicken. Let it cook, while stirring with a rubber spatula, until you can start to see the bottom of the pan. Continue to cook until mixture has the consistency of thick pudding or paste.

Put mixture in the fridge and let it cool completely, it’s fine if it stays in there long enough to get chilly, you just don’t want it warm at all. As it’s cooling, feel free to stir it occasionally to speed up the process and keep it from forming a crust on top.

It an electric stand mixer, beat the butter and the sugar for a minute or two until well combined and fluffy. You’ll want to use the whisk attachment on a stand mixer if you have one, instead of the flat paddle. Then while beating, add in the thickened milk mixture and the vanilla. Beat to combine and then scrape down the sides. Mixture will separate and look messy, keep beating! Continue beating until mixture comes together and is light and fluffy, about 7-8 minutes, but time varies. Take a sample of frosting between your fingers; frosting is done when light and fluffy and sugar granules are dissolved.

Chocolate Frosting

1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup cocoa
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

directions
Mix together. Bring to a boil and boil for 1 minute. Add vanilla. Cool partially, then beat with a mixer for 3 minutes or until spreadable consistency.