What an incredibly busy summer this has been!!  Ella and I finally made some time last weekend to do some baking.  And we came up with some very delicious chocolate cupcakes.  Since we both love cupcakes, we have decided that we are going to focus on making all sorts of delicious varieties of cupcakes.  And what better way to start than with chocolate cupcakes with buttercream frosting.

Chocolate Cupcakes

1 cup flour

¾ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon baking powder

½ cup boiling water

1/3 cup unsweetened baking cocoa

½ cup softened butter

¾ cup granulated sugar

½ teaspoon vanilla

1 egg

Heat oven to 350°.

Place 12 cupcake papers into a cupcake pan.

Mix flour, baking soda, salt and baking powder.  Set aside.  In a small bowl, mix boiling wter and cocoa until dissolved.

In a large bowl, beat ½ cup softened butter with electric mixer on medium speed for 30 seconds.  Gradually add granulated sugar, beating well after each addition.  Beat 2 more minutes.  Beat in vanilla and egg until blended.  On low speed, alternately add flour mixture and cocoa mixture, beating until just blended.  Distribute batter among mixture, filling to ½ full.

Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Cool 5 minutes.  Remove from pan to cooling racks.  Cool completely.  About 30 minutes.

Buttercream Frosting

3 cups powdered sugar

1/3 cup softened butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 to 5 teaspoons milk

In a large bowl, mix powdered sugar and 1/3 cup softened butter with electric mixer on low speed until blended.  Stir in vanilla and enough milk until smooth and spreadable.  Frost cupcakes.

These are really good. And the frosting is heavenly.  We did not eat all of them, so I froze about a half a dozen.  Ella stayed with Grandpa today (she is the only one who has not started school).  Lucky her!!  I took the cupcakes out of the freezer and they were as good as when we baked them.

The flowers have been doing pretty well.  We could have used more rain this summer, but are grateful for what we received in the last couple of days.  The pumpkins, squash, and fall sunflowers are coming along nicely.  Thanks to everyone who has stopped by the flower cart!

Thanks so much for stopping by!!

Until next time,

Pat