it seems as if all my friends were born this week. i have 3 birthdays to help celebrate so i thought i’d make my famous cupcakes to give as gifts. these cupcakes not only make a great little gift, but i really believe they have healing powers. people seem to become instantly happy when they eat them. i hope they have the same effect on your friends. i developed this recipe quite some time ago, but i haven’t shared it until now.cupcakes (makes 2 dozen)

15 1/2 ounces all purpose flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (use a high quality cocoa)
13 ounces sugar
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
3 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla

for the frosting (it’s a hybrid of butter cream and cream cheese frosting):

1- 8oz package of cream cheese (room temperature)
1 stick of unsalted butter (room temperature)
1 lb of powdered sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla

preheat oven to 350. sift together flour, baking soda, salt and cocoa powder into a bowl and set aside.
in a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix oil, sugar, buttermilk and vanilla until combined. add eggs, one at a time. add the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. (don’t over mix or the cupcakes will be tough).
line 2, 12 cup muffin pans with paper liners. scoop batter into liners and bake for about 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. take cupcakes out of the muffin pans immediately and let cool on a wire rack.
while the cupcakes are cooling, make the frosting. put all the ingredients in the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and blend on low until combined. increase the speed to med-high and continue to blend until creamy, occasionally scraping the sides and bottom of bowl. frost the cooled cupcakes. this frosting recipe makes just enough to frost 24 cupcakes. it will seem like you won’t have enough, but if you don’t over-frost, (which you shouldn’t), you’ll be fine.

i like to dye my frosting light pink. something about light pink frosting on top of a chocolate cupcake reminds me of old school bakeries. you certainly don’t have to make your frosting pink, but don’t knock it until you try it. happy baking!