Chocolate and Buttermilk Chocolate Cupcakes

My sister had these cupcakes at her house while we were there! My aunt made some of them and they were sooooo good! I wanted to do her recipe, but I didn't have all the ingredients, so I tried one from Taste of Home. They were really good too! The frosting is a marshmallow frosting!

Chocolate Cupcakes

from Shelly Kaldunski Cupcake cookbook

2/3 cup flour

2 1/2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

3/4 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

3 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped

1/2 cup plus 3 tbsp butter, cut into pieces

3/4 cup plus 2 tbsp sugar

3 large eggs, at room temp.

1 tsp vanilla

**Preheat oven to 350. Line a standard 12-cup muffin tin with paper or foil liners.

**In a bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Place the chocolate and butter in a large heatproof bowl and set over (but not touching) simmering water in a saucepan; stir frequently until melted and smooth, about 5 minutes. Remove the bowl from the saucepan; let the mixture cool to room temp., 10-15 minutes.

**Using a wooden spoon, stir the sugar into the chocolate mixture until combined. Stir in the eggs one at a time, beating until combined after each addition, and then beat in vanilla. Gently fold in the flour mixture just until no traces of flour remain; do not overmix.

**Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups, filling about 3/4 full. Bake about 22-24 minutes, when a toothpick inserted comes out mostly clean, with only a few crumbs on it.

Transfer to wire rack and let them completely cool, about 1 hour and frost!

Marshmallow Frosting

from Shelly Kaldunski

2 large egg whites

1 cup sugar

6 tbsp water

1 tbsp light corn syrup

1/2 tsp cream of tartar

pinch of salt

1 cup miniature marshmallows

1 tsp vanilla

In a large heat proof bowl, combine the egg whites, sugar, water, corn syrup, cream of tartar, and salt. Set the bowl over (but not touching) simmering water in a saucepan and heat the mixture, whisking constantly, until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is very warm to the touch, about 2 minutes.

Remove the bowl from the saucepan. Using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat the mixture until it is very warm and soft (but not dry) peaks form, about 2 minutes.

Reduce the mixer to low and add the marshmallows and vanilla. Continue beating until the marshmallows are melted and the frosting is completely smooth, about 2 minutes more. Use right away!

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Buttermilk Chocolate Cupcakes

from Taste of Home

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 cup baking cocoa

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup water

FROSTING:

1/2 cup butter, softened

3 3/4 cups powdered sugar

2 squares (1 oz each) unsweetened chocolate, melted

2 tbsp evaporated milk

1 tsp vanilla

1/4 tsp salt

optional: sprinkles on top

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In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Add the dry ingredients to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk mixture, beating well after each addition.

Fill paper-lined muffin cups 2/3 full. Bake at 375 for 15-20 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.

For Frosting (I haven't made this yet, but it was with the recipe), in a small bowl, beat butter and powdered sugar until smooth. Beat in the melted chocolate, milk, vanilla and salt. Frost cupcakes!