Cute springtime cupcake idea that makes for an adorable Easter time!
Ingredients:
For Chocolate Cupcakes:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup sugar
- ⅓ cup Cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 egg, at room temperature
- ½ cup buttermilk, at room temperature
- ½ cup hot water or hot coffee
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon coconut extract (optional)
For frosting
- 3 sticks unsalted butter, softened and cut into cubes
- 3 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
- 2-3 tablespoons milk
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon coconut extract (optional)
pinch of salt - 2-3 drops green gel paste (or food coloring)
Preparation
For the Cupcakes:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line muffin tins with cupcake liners.
- Sift together all the dry ingredients in the bowl of an electric mixer.
- In a medium bowl, combine all the wet ingredients using a whisk.
- Mix the dry ingredients on low speed for 1 minute. Stop the mixer and add the wet ingredients. Mix for 2 minutes on medium speed and scrape the sides and bottom of bowl. Mix for additional minute on medium speed.
- The batter will be thin. Divide evenly among the cupcake liners.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out almost clean.
Cool cupcakes on wire racks completely. Meanwhile you could start on the frosting.
For frosting:
- Whip butter for 8 minutes on medium speed using the paddle attachment of an electric mixer. The butter will become pale and creamy. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix on low-speed for 1minute. Then increase speed to medium and mix for 6 minutes until the frosting is very light, creamy and fluffy. Add in food coloring and whip for an additional minute.
- Frost the cupcakes and top with Easter eggs.