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Everyday Food

Chocolate Cupcakes and Easy White Icing

Who doesn't love cupcakes? I do. My kids sure do. They're the perfect portable, poppable treat. If you're planning on baking up a batch for a party or picnic, you might be tempted to buy a boxed mix, but don't! It's too easy to whip up the most delicious cupcakes from scratch. Click through and let me show you my favorite chocolate cupcake recipe -- I'll teach you the trick for getting them super moist -- along with an easy white icing. Try making these at home, and you might find you have some new best friends!

Sarah Carey, editor of Everyday Food magazine
  • PREP: 30 minutes
  • TOTAL: 1 hour
  • MAKES 12

Ingredients

  • For the Cupcakes
  • 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • For the Icing
  • 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 pound (3 2/3 cups) confectioners' sugar
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons milk (optional)
  • Sprinkles (optional)

Get Cooking

  1. Make the cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 12-cup standard muffin tin with paper liners.
  2. Into a medium bowl, sift together cocoa, flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside. In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each, then beat in vanilla. With mixer on low speed, add flour mixture in two batches, alternating with sour cream and beginning and ending with flour.
  3. Pour batter into cups, filling each 3/4 full. Bake until a toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes.
  4. Cool in pan 5 minutes; transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, then spread with icing using a table knife or small offset spatula. Decorate with sprinkles, if desired.
  5. Make the icing: In a mixing bowl, cream butter until smooth.
  6. Gradually add confectioners' sugar; beat until smooth. If too thick to spread, beat in 1 to 2 tablespoons milk.

NUTRITION

  • Cupcakes, per serv: 245 cal; 15 g fat; 3 g protein; 26 g carb; 2 g fiber
  • Icing, per serv: 248 cal; 11 g fat; 0 g protein; 37 g carb; 0 g fiber