Chocolate Buttermilk Cupcakes

In preparation for my baby boy's 1st Birthday next month, I need to start learning how to make cupcakes!! I have never made a cupcake before in my life so today I started on my "birthday baking mission" and whipped up some chocolate cupcakes using a Donna Hay cake mixture that I adapted to cupcakes.

1 cup of water
125g butter, chopped
1/2 cup cocoa, sifted
2 cups plain flour, sifted
1 teaspoon bicarbonate baking soda, sifted
2 cups caster sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
100g butter, softened
500g cream cheese
2 cups icing (confectioner's) sugar mixture, sifted
1/2 cup cocoa, sifted

Preheat oven to 160 degrees and prepare a muffin tray with cupcake liners, the mixture makes approximately 16 medium sized cupcakes.
Place the water, butter and cocoa in a saucepan over medium heat and stir until the butter has melted.
Place the flour, bicarbonate of soda and sugar in a bowl , add the cocoa mixture and whisk to combine. Add the eggs, buttermilk and vanilla and whisk to combine.
Divide mixture between the cupcake liners and bake for 16-18 minutes, test with a toothpick before taking from the oven in case extra cooking time is required.

While the cupcakes are baking, make the cream cheese frosting. Place the butter and cream cheese in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat for 6-8 minutes or until pale and creamy. Add the icing sugar and cocoa and beat for a further 6-8 minutes or until light and fluffy.

Result - Pretty good for my first cupcakes ever!!! The cupcakes are light and fluffy and a little crispy on top which is nice. Of course these are my first batch so I will be able to make better comparisons as I go along. Major roadblock = Frosting!!! I decided to halve the frosting ingredients as I thought it would be too much but somehow didn't use less butter so it didn't taste very nice as you can imagine! As I was making the cupcakes to take to afternoon tea at a friends house, I did a quick trip to Coles to pick up some pre-made Betty Crocker frosting to save my cupcakes. Betty Crocker frosting should be in everyones pantry to save the day ;)

Source - Donna Hay Magazine, Issue 50 (Adapted from Chocolate Buttermilk Layer Cake)