Scrumptious Chocolate Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

It's been quite some time since I posted a recipe of sorts. But I promise, I have been trying new recipes!

I've been craving comfort foods lately. Bad. It's sad, really, what chronic sleep deprivation and listening to constant whining will do to you...

So the other night, at like 10 PM, I made these cupcakes. Goodness, so delish.

My husband thought so, too. He ate three in less than 20 minutes, and this after constant comments about how he wasn't in a "sweets" mood, and how much he didn't want to taste-test the batter or the frosting. Yeah, right. 

I used a slightly adapted version of this recipe from Add A Pinch for the cupcakes, and my own frosting recipe.

INGREDIENTS:

Chocolate Cupcakes

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup cocoa
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup unsweetened almond milk (can use regular dairy milk)
• ¼ cup vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup egg whites, or 1 egg
• ½ teaspoon vanilla
• ½ cup boiling water

Cream Cheese Frosting

• 6 oz cream cheese, softened**
• 1/2 cup (8 tbsp) butter, softened
• 3 cups confectioner's sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp salt

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 325º F.
2. Place cupcake liners in muffin tin.
3. Add flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to a large bowl. Whisk through to combine.
4. Add milk, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla to flour mixture and mix together on medium speed until well combined. Reduce speed and carefully add boiling water to the cake batter. Beat on high speed for about 1 minute to add air to the batter.
5. Evenly distribute cake batter. Each cupcake liner should be about ¾ths full.
6. Place in the oven and bake 12-15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
7. Remove from the oven and allow the cupcakes to cool completely.
8. While cupcakes are cooling, beat together cream cheese, butter, vanilla, salt, and 1 cup confectioner's sugar until well mixed. 1 cup at a time, add remaining confectioner's sugar until desired consistency and sweetness is reached. Mix until smooth and stiff. 

**The trick is to make sure the cream cheese is soft, but still firm. Mixing it too warm or too cold will result in thin or chunky icing, which is not great for holding its shape, and doesn't taste all that great, either.

These puppies are moist for days after baking. So moist. So good. 

Remember, chocolate comes from the cocoa bean, and beans are legumes, which are healthy for you. Right? 

Eh, even if it's not great for your body, these sure do wonders for your soul!

Happy eatings!