EASY CUPCAKE RECIPE

CHOCOLATE  NUTTY BUTTY  CUPCAKE WITH CHOCOLATE FUDGE FROSTING

All purpose flour-2 cups

Butter room temperature softened-1 cup

3 large eggs

Baking powder -1 /2 teaspoon

Castor sugar-2 cups

Baking soda-1/4 teaspoon

Salt a pinch

Milk-1/2 cup

Cocoa powder-3 tablespoons

¾ cup-chopped nuts

Dark chocolate-melted ¼ cup(MELT THE DARK CHOCOLATE IN A DOUBLE BOILER AND LET IT COOL SLIGHTLY FOR A FEW  MINUTES SO THAT WHEN IT IS USED IN THE BATTER   PREPARATION IT IS SMOOTH ENOUGH TO BLENDED EASILY WITH THE OTHER INGREDIENTS .DO NOT COOL DARK CHOCOLATE FOR LONG AS IT WILL GET HARD AND NOT MIX WELL IN THE BATTER)

METHOD

Preheat oven to 350 Degrees F or 180 Degrees C.

Line the cupcakes tray with the cupcake moulds with paper liners of your choice.

Take a large bowl and mix in the flour,baking powder,salt,baking soda and cocoa powder together in it.sift these dry ingredients and set them aside to be used later on when preparing the cupcakes batter.

Now take one more bowl and using an electric beater at a high speed beat the butter and sugar together till the mixture turns creamy and light.Now turn the speed of the beater to low and add in the vanilla extract to this creamy mixture and beat.Add the eggs one at  a time beating well after each addition till all ingredients are well blended .NOW ADD IN THE MELTED DARK CHOCOLATE

Now add the sifted dry ingredients and milk alternately to this well blended mixture.add spoon by spoon and mixing well till it forms a smooth cupcakes batter.Gently fold in the chopped nuts into this smooth cupcakes batter.

Now pour this batter into paper lined cupcake pans and bake for about 15-20 minutes  till the cupcakes are cooked or till a toothpick inserted at the center of the cupcakes comes out clean.Allow the cupcakes to remain in the oven for about 10-15 minutes.

Remove from the oven and let the cupcakes cool completely before frosting them.

FOR THE FUDGE FROSTING

½  cup butter (unsalted)

¼ cup unsweetned cocoa powder

1/3  cup milk

3 cups powdered sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Finely chopped nuts for garnishing

Method

In a pan over low heat mix in the cocoa powder,milk  and butter together and cook till the butter melts completely.Bring it to a boil and remove from fire.

Now add in the powdered sugar and vanilla extract to this boiled mixture and stir .after this with an electric beater beat this mixture till it is smooth in consistency for frosting.Use it immediately .With a knife spread a layer over the cupcakes and garnish with nuts or frost with a piping bag and make swirls of your choice.

 DARK CHOCOLATE CUPCAKE WITH LEMON buttercream FROSTING
1 cup sugar
1 cup all purpose flour
1/3 cup dark cocoa powder
1/2  teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
a pinch of salt
1 egg large
1/2 cup butter milk
1/4 cup oil
1/2 cup coffee
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Method
Line your cupcakes tray with paper liners.
Preheat your oven to 350 Degrees F or 180 Degrees C.
In a bowl mix all the dry ingredients together(flour,cocoa powder,baking powder,baking soda,salt) sift them and set aside.
In another bowl beat the egg and sugar together till light and fluffy.Now add in the vanilla extract and beat well again.Turn the speed of the beater to low and Add the sifted  dry ingredients ,buttermilk,coffee and oil together and beat well with the beater till all ingredients are well blended and a smooth without lumps batter is formed.
Now pour this batter into your paper lined cupcake pans and bake for about 15-18 minutes.Cool the cupcakes in the cupcakes tray for about 10-15 minutes.Remove your cupcakes from the tray and cool them completely before frosting them.
FOR THE LEMON BUTTERCREAM FROSTING
THE INGREDIENTS NEEDED ARE:
11/2 sticks of unsalted butter softened                                    
3 cups of powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon of  lemon juice
1 tablespoon of lemon zest(grated outer skin of lemon i.e lemon rind)
a pinch of salt
1 teaspoon lemon essence

METHOD
Cream butter in a bowl  with an electric beater or mixer.add salt,vanilla extract ,lemon zest,lemon juice and lemon essence and beat .Now add the powdered sugar 1 cup at a time and continue beating for about 5 minutes or more till the frosting is fluffy.pipe or spread this fluffy lemon buttercream frosting on your dark chocolate cupcakes and top with lemon zest