The Devil is in the Details

Well, its been a whirlwind weekend -- JiT and I are preparing to take SCUBA diving classes and on Saturday morning we discovered that we were supposed to read an entire text book and complete homework by Monday! So that sort of threw off my leisurely weekend plans. Of course, I was still planning to host dinner for 4 of my friends on Sunday, so I was glad the the menu was easy to prepare. In addition to Chicken & Spring Vegetable Pot Pies, I decided to make Devil's Food Cupcakes with Vanilla Bean Buttercream Frosting.

These cupcakes are moist and incredibly rich, and paired with the light and fluffy frosting, they taste shockingly like an oreo cookie! The cakes themselves are so easy to prepare...you literally dump all of the ingredients except the eggs into your mixing bowl; blend, add eggs, repeat. The frosting is also super easy to prepare so the thing that takes the longest is letting the cupcakes cool before you decorate them -- which gave me more time to study!

Before I get to the recipes, here are some photos that Our Dear JiT snapped--for a nominal 1-cupcake fee of course....

Devil's Food Cupcakes

makes 24 cupcakes/350 degree oven

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups sugar

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1-1/2 cups milk

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste

1 teaspoon vanilla extract (alternately, 1 tsp vanilla extract can be used)

2 eggs at room temperature

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Measure all ingredients directly into the mixer bowl and mix on low speed just until incorporated. Beat on high speed for 2 minutes. Add eggs and beat for another 2 minutes.

Scoop batter into cupcake pans lined with cupcake papers to 2/3rds full. If you use a 2" ice cream scoop to portion your batter, the cups should be filled just about right. Bake for 15-20 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool in the pan and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.

Vanilla Bean Buttercream Frosting

frosting for 24 regular size cupcakes

1/2 cup shortening

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

4 cups confectioners sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 cup heavy cream

In the bowl of a mixer, cream butter and shortening together until fluffy using the wisk attachment. With mixer on low speed, add confectioners sugar and mix until well blended. Add salt, vanilla and whipping cream and beat on low speed until moistened. Then switch to high speed until frosting is fluffy.

Frost cupcakes and enjoy! They're truly devilish (and delish)!!