Chocolate Cupcakes with Vanilla Icing

Chocolate Cupcakes

2 cups all purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

3/4 cup sugar

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar

4 eggs

6 oz. semisweet chocolate, melted and slightly cooled

1 cup milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 and pop your cupcake liners into your muffin pan (2 pans).

In a large bowl combine the butter and sugars and beat until fluffy, roughly 3-5 minutes.

Add the eggs one at a time beating well after each addition. Add the chocolate and mix until completely incorporated. Mix the vanilla into the milk. Add the dry ingredients in 3 parts, alternating with the milk, beginning and ending with the flour into the sugar/egg mixture. Fill your cupcake liners and bake for 20-25 minutes until a cake tester comes out clean when inserted into the centre of the cup cake.

Cool in the pans for 15 minutes before removing to a cool rack.

My Favourite Vanilla Icing

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

6-8 cups icing sugar

1/2 cup milk 

2 tsp vanilla extract

In a large bowl place the butter, 4 cups of the icing sugar, milk and vanilla extract. Mix until combined and then add additional icing sugar, by the cup, until you get your desired consistency.