Vanilla Cupcakes with Chocolate Buttercream

This isn't creative cooking, but it sure was yummy.

I had actually never made cupcakes by scratch before, and I was anxious that I would do something really wrong.  But they turned out great!  The cake was a bit more dense than I'm used to with cakemixes-- so maybe I did something wrong?  But it was still great.  And the frosting... mmm, mmm!!!

Billy's Vanilla Cupcakes (from Martha Stewart)

1 3/4 c cake flour (not self-rising)

1 1/4 c unbleached all-purpose flour

2 c sugar

1 T baking powder

2/4 t salt

1 c unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch cubes

4 large eggs

1 c whole milk

1 t pure vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line cupcake pans with paper liners; set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine flours, sugar, baking powder, and salt; mix on low speed until combined. Add butter, mixing until just coated with flour.

2. In a large glass measuring cup, whisk together eggs, milk, and vanilla. With mixer on medium speed, add wet ingredients in 3 parts, scraping down sides of bowl before each addition; beat until ingredients are incorporated but do not overbeat.

3. Divide batter evenly among liners, filling about 2/3 full. Bake, rotating pan halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 17 to 20 minutes.

4. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat process with remaining batter. 

Billy's Chocolate Buttercream (from Martha Stewart)

(the recipe says it makes enough for 30 cupcakes --- but I had some left over)

2 c of unsalted butter, room temperature

12 oz semisweet chocolate, melted and cooled

3 T milk

1 1/2 t pure vanilla extract

5 cups of confectioners' sugar

Directions

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter until smooth and creamy, 2 to 3 minutes. With mixer on low speed, add chocolate until just combined. Add milk, vanilla, and sugar; mix on medium until well combined, being careful not to overmix.

PS Blogger drives me nuts... so I hope this post actually looks okay.  Right now it looks CRAZY and all my font is different sizes and it's all double-spaced!  My pictures are huge and I can't figure out how to make them smaller.  Grrrr!  Oh well, I'll post and hope for the best!  Sorry if it's huge...