How To Make Dark Chocolate Cupcakes

First, gather all your ingredients.

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 & 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 & 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 & 1/2 teaspoons of fine sea salt
• 2 cups buttermilk, shaken (optional: homemade recipe below)
• 3 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 30 tablespoons (3 & 3/4 sticks) unsalted butter, slightly softened
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1  cup lightly packed brown sugar
• 6 large eggs

Preheat the oven to 350°F degrees. Line a cupcake pan with paper liners.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

In a small bowl, stir together the buttermilk and vanilla.

In a bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a large bowl with handheld mixer, beat the butter and both sugars on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes.

Reduce the speed to medium-low, add the eggs one at a time, and beat until creamy, 1 to 2 minutes.

Slowly add half the flour mixture, then the buttermilk mixture, then the remaining flour mixture, beating until just blended after each addition.

Divide the batter evenly among the liners and bake until the tops are just dry to the touch and a toothpick inserted into the center come out clean, 18 to 20 minutes.

Transfer the pan to a wire rack and cool completely.

Next, make the Milk Chocolate Buttercream and Vanilla Buttercream.

MILK CHOCOLATE BUTTERCREAM FROSTING:

VANILLA BUTTERCREAM FROSTING:

• 1 teaspoon Imitation Clear Vanilla Extract 8 ounces (I used regular pure vanilla extract)
• 1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, softened
• 4 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar, approximately 1 lb.
• 2 tablespoons milk

In large bowl, beat shortening and butter with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla.

Gradually add sugar, one cup at a time, beating well on medium speed. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl often. When all sugar has been mixed in, icing will appear dry.

Gradually add milk or water, beat at medium speed until light and fluffy.

How To Make Horse Cupcake Cake

• First, make your favorite cupcake and then frost with your favorite frosting.
  • For this cake I choose to do Dark Chocolate Cupcakes from The Sprinkles Baking Book (recipe below). You will need 33 cupcakes to complete this.
  • I used a Milk Chocolate Buttercream and the Wiltons Vanilla Buttercream Frosting to decorate (recipes below).
  • For the decorations I used:
    Purple sprinkles
    Pipped the grass using green food gel with an open star tip #16.
    Pipped the flowers using purple food gel with an open star tip #32 
    Pipped the eye/hooves using black food gel with a round pipping tip #5
    Pipped the body/hair using the Wilton’s 1M tip
  • I also used pipping bags and Wilton® Icing Bag Ties

First, pipe rosettes for the horses body with Wilton’s 1M tip using the Milk Chocolate Buttercream.

Next, pipe rosettes for the horses mane and tail using the Wilton’s 1M tip and the Wilton’s Vanilla Buttercream Frosting.

Then, use an open star tip #32 to pipe purple flowers and the horses bridle. Also, use a round pipping tip #5 to pipe the white part of the horses eye.

Now, pipe the horses black pupil and hooves using a round pipping tip #5.

How To Make Homemade Buttermilk

All you need is whole or 2-percent milk and fresh lemon juice or white distilled vinegar.

• Pour the milk into a liquid measuring cup.
• For every 1 cup of milk, stir in 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar. Let the mixture stand for 10 minutes.
• The acid will curdle the milk slightly.
• Use the thickened milk — curds and all — just as you would buttermilk in your recipe.

Tips & Tricks

• You can substitute the buttermilk with any kind of milk. Even non-dairy milk like almond or rice milk works. Simply mix it with 1 tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice to make 1 cup.
• When doing cupcake cakes like this, I like to break it up in two days. First day I will bake the cupcakes. The second day I pipe the decorations on the cupcakes. It really lessens the stress and prevents mess ups if I do these kind of cupcake cakes in steps and/or days.
• My favorite go-to baking book is The Sprinkles Baking Book: 100 Secret Recipes from Candace’s Kitchen.
• I love using Wilton baking pans. I feel like they are the best quality pans out there for the price. They don’t rust, are durable, and easy to clean. For muffins or cupcakes, I love using the 24 count muffin tin. It is so awesome! I love how you only need to use the oven once instead of twice with a 12 count muffin tin. My time is precious to me, as it probably is for you too, so saving time in the kitchen is key. I found all my Wilton baking essentials at my favorite store, TARGET!
• A quick tip is to use a good quality chocolate. Trust me, it will make your cookie taste that much better. My favorite go-to chocolate chips are Ghirardelli Chocolate Chips. They are seriously the best chocolate chips.
• For all-purpose flour I love using Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free All Purpose Baking Flour. I first fell in love with this brand when I started eating healthy back in 2012, shortly after our twins were born. I first tried their Steel Cut Oats. Then when I had more time to bake I started using a lot of their other products such as, Almond Flour, Coconut Flour, Gluten Free Flour, Whole Wheat Flour, Pastry Flour, Bread Flour, and Xanthan Gum. They have so much more too! Baking mixes, Oats, Bars, Cereal, Granola, Grains, Beans, Seeds, Baking Aids, and more Flours! Seriously go check them out. Best quality baking products out there and no I am not getting paid to say this, I just love their products that much!
• Since I bake quite often I like to buy stuff in bulk. I love buying my flour, sugars, pure vanilla extract, butter, oil, eggs, and spices at Costco.
• Costco, Target, & Amazon are my favorite stores to shop at!

Make sure you post your photos on Instagram and tag me in them so I can see your creations from my blog #eazypeazylemonsqueezee