Cupcakes - from SCRATCH!

These cupcakes are so delicious and easy to make, you'll never want to buy a box mix or can of frosting again! I've always wanted to make cupcakes from scratch, but every recipe I've found is so complicated. NOT this one. So, give it a try!

 

This recipe comes from Dave Ramsey's website. To see the original recipe, click here.

Cupcakes

Chocolate

3 eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened Hersey's Cocoa Powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup butter, softened to room temperature
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 1/2 cups milk
3 ounces bittersweet baking chocolate square (found in baking section), grated

1. Allow eggs to stand at room temperature 30 minutes. Meanwhile, line your cupcake pans with cupcake liners. I like to use the foil liners because they are both decorative and sturdy. In a medium bowl, stir together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt; set aside.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, beat softened butter with electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Gradually add sugar, 1/4 cup at a time, beating on medium speed until well combined. Scrape sides of bowl; beat 2 minutes more. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Beat in vanilla.
3. Alternately add flour mixture and milk to butter mixture, beating on low after each addition just until combined. Beat on medium to high 20 seconds more. Stir in finely grated chocolate. Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full. (If you have more batter than cupcake pans, cover and refrigerate remaining batter until ready to use.)
4. Bake cupcakes on middle rack of oven. Every cupcake pan, liner, and oven is different, so you should monitor your first batch of cupcakes closely. Check after 10 minutes of baking time to insure that your cupcakes are cooking evenly. You may need to turn the cupcake pans halfway through baking time to guarantee even baking if your oven cooks faster toward the rear of the oven. When done (inserted toothpick should come out clean), remove from oven and cool in pan for 10 minutes. Remove cupcakes to a cooling rack and cool completely before applying icing.

Vanilla


6 eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup butter, softened
2 2/3 cups sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups buttermilk

1. Separate eggs. Allow egg whites to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes (reserve yolks for another use). Meanwhile, line cupcake pans with cupcake liners. I like to use foil liners because they are both decorative and sturdy. In a medium bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; set aside.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, beat butter with electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar and vanilla; beat until well combined. Add egg whites all at once; beat on medium-high 3 minutes. Alternately add flour mixture and buttermilk to butter mixture, beating on low after each addition just until combined (batter may look slightly lumpy). Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full. (If you have extra batter, cover and refrigerate until ready to use.)
3. Bake cupcakes on middle rack of oven. Every cupcake pan, liner, and oven is different, so you should monitor your first batch of cupcakes closely. Check after 10 minutes of baking time to insure that your cupcakes are cooking evenly. You may need to turn the cupcake pans halfway through baking time to guarantee even baking if your oven cooks faster toward the rear of the oven. Mine were done at 17 minutes. When done (inserted toothpick should come out clean), remove from oven and cool in pan for 10 minutes. Remove cupcakes to a cooling rack and cool completely before applying icing. Yield: 3 dozen

Buttercream Icing

Chocolate I divided ingredients in half and had plenty for 3 dozen cupcakes

1 cup butter (2 sticks), softened to room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups of unsweetened Hersey's Cocoa Powder
2 (16-ounce) boxes of confectioner's sugar
2/3 cup of whole milk

1. Beat butter, vanilla and salt at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy.
2. In separate bowl, whisk together unsweetened cocoa and powdered sugar.
3. Alternately add the cocoa/sugar mixture and milk to the butter mixture, beating on low after each addition until blended and smooth. Beat in an additional tablespoon of milk if needed for desired consistency.

Vanilla


1 cup butter (2 sticks), softened to room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 (16-ounce) boxes of confectioner's sugar
6–7 tablespoons milk

1. Beat butter, vanilla and salt at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy.
2. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating on low until blended and smooth after each addition. Beat in an additional tablespoon of milk if needed for desired consistency.