The Best Cupcakes EVER

I appreciate the finer things as much as the next person. Especially good purses and shoes. And expensive makeup. And nice clothes……and jewelery….

However, that love of finer things does not translate over to my taste in food. I much prefer a bologna sandwich to dinner at a fancy french restaurant. And I’ll take a big ol’ box of Rainbow Nerds over fancy dark chocolate any day. 

Sorry……don’t hate. I’m still a good person.

Pioneer Woman recently raved about a frosting recipe that she had tried after seeing it on Tasty Kitchen. The frosting was titled That’s the Best Frosting I’ve Ever Had . A name like that, paired with an endorsement from Pioneer Woman is enough to keep me up at night until I finally try it myself. So, I didn’t waste much time in deciding to get to work on some cupcakes for me and my best ladies.

I originally planned on using my go to cake mix cupcake recipe, but I decided that frosting with such a glorious name deserved to be paired with a special cupcake. I am not usually real keen on homemade cupcakes , but I got out my Martha Stewart Cupcakes book and started browsing the pages. If anyone could show me the finer side of cupcakes, it would be Martha. 


I decided on her Devil’s Food Cupcakes and I was glad I did. The cupcakes were rich and moist, and much better than anything I could have made with a mix. They paired perfectly with the frosting, which was deserving of all the praise Pioneer Woman had heaped upon it (like I had any doubt….is Pioneer Woman ever wrong?).


INGREDIENTS

3/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
3/4 cup hot water
3 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/4 teaspoons coarse salt
3 sticks unsalted butter
2 1/4 cups sugar
4 large eggs at room temperature
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup sour cream, at room temperature

Preheat oven to 350. Line standard muffin tines with paper liners. Whisk together cocoa and hot water until smooth. In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder,and salt.

Melt butter with sugar in a saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring to combine. Remove from heat, and pour into a mixing bowl. With an electric mixer on medium low speed, beat until mixture is cooled, 4 to 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add vanilla, then cocoa mixture, and beat until combined. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture in two batches, alternating with the sour cream, and beating until just combined after each.

Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three quarters of the way full. Bake until a cake tester inserted in the centers comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Transfer tins to wire racks to cool completely. 

Here is the link to step by step instructions for making the frosting.  

Although I absolutely loved these rich, chocolaty homemade cupcakes, don’t count on me getting too fancy with my food anytime soon.  Cake mixes will never lose their place in my kitchen.


Happy Thursday!!!








***Those cute bunny toppers were purchased at Bake It Pretty…aren’t they cute?***