The Great Debate

Saturday afternoon in the Watson living room …
Me: I’m bored; I think I’ll bake a cake
Dan: Did you say cuuuupcaaaakes??
Me: No, I said a cake
Dan: But Missy, I want cupcakes.
Me: Ugh, you have to fill all those little wrappers then they take forever to frost (insert pouty face here)
Dan: Missyyyy???
Me: No
Dan: Missssyyyyyyy???
Me: No!!
Dan: 3-2-1-1-2-threeeeeeeee
Me: Fine! But you’re doing the frosting, hmpf!
Dan: SWEET!

I do have to admit, I much prefer a cupcake to a slice of cake, but why? Is it the frosting to cake ratio? Is it the individual size? Perhaps it is because I don’t need a plate and fork? Whatever the reason, there is just something oh-so-irresistible about a cupcake. I can turn down a slice of cake pretty much any day of the week, but I absolutely, without a doubt, cannot turn down a cupcake!

So here is my absolute favorite recipe for chocolate cupcakes with cream cheese frosting, I hope you enjoy them as much as Dan did!!

Chocolate-Chocolate Chip Cupcakes
1 ½ cups unsweetened cocoa powder (I use Hershey’s, it didn’t turn out as well with Nestle)
3 cups flour
3 cups sugar
1 tbsp baking soda
1 ½ tsp baking powder
1 ½ tsp salt
3 eggs
½ cup warm water
1 ½ cups buttermilk
¾ cup vegetable oil
1 ½ tsp vanilla
1 bag (8oz) miniature chocolate chips

Sift cocoa, flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in large bowl; mix together with a fork. Add in eggs, ½ cup warm water, buttermilk, vegetable oil, and vanilla. Mix on medium-high until smooth. Stir in the mini-chocolate chips then fill your cupcake wrappers.
(ps-I never sift anything even though it tells me in all my recipes that I should)
Bake at 350 for 18-20minutes.

Cream Cheese Frosting
1 stick butter (½ cup)
1 lb cream cheese (two 8oz pkgs)
1 cup powdered sugar (sometimes more)
1 tsp vanilla

Cream the butter and the sugar together with an electric mixer, add cream cheese in chunks and blend on high until smooth, add vanilla and mix until fully incorporated.