Dark Chocolate Cupcakes with Dark Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

So for my 30th birthday, my dear friend, Cecy, sent a fabulous, adorable cupcake book all the way from Memphis, TN, called Cupcakes from the Primrose Bakery.  After much hype and talk about making these cupcakes to friends, roommates, and co-workers, I finally did it!  Now keep in mind, I am not a baker.  I am a cook.  I can whip up almost anything in the kitchen but I certainly don't feel my most comfortable baking.  Cut to me yelling at my roommate last night, "I am NOT a baker! I've already messed up half of the things in this recipe!"  I'm just a little dramatic...[that's sarcasm]. With no further ado, here are my dark chocolate cupcakes with dark chocolate buttercream frosting! (Recipe to follow.  I promise.)

Update: Here is the recipe that I promised!  Note dark chocolate was my own spin on this recipe as I am a much bigger fan of it in comparison to milk or bittersweet chocolate.  

Dark Chocolate Cupcakes

Ingredients:

4 oz of dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids)

6 tbsp of unsalted butter, room temp

3/4 cup of packed brown sugar

2 large eggs, preferrably organic or free-range

1.25 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 tsp baking powder

3/4 tsp baking soda

pinch of salt

1 cup 2% milk, room temp

1 tsp vanilla extract

Oven: 375 degrees and line cupcake pans with liners

Break the chocolate up in a bowl and melt in the microwave in 30 second intervals. Let cool slightly.

In a big bowl, cream the butter and sugar.

In a separate bowl and with clean beaters, beat the egg yolks for several min.

Add the egg yolks to the butter and sugar, beat well.

Add the chocolate, beat well.

Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a separate bowl. 

Mix the milk and vanilla together.

Add 1/3 of the flour to the chocolate mixture, beat well.

Add 1/3 of the mild, beat well.  

Repeat until all blended.

In a clean bowl, whip the egg whites until soft peaks form.

Fold the egg whites into the batter with a metal spoon.

Spoon into the cups, filling about 2/3 of the way up. 

Bake for 20-25 min for regular size or 15 min for minis.

Dark Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

Ingredients:

6 oz dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids)

1 cup/2 sticks of unsalted butter, room temp

1 tbsp 2% milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

2.5 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted

Break the chocolate into pieces in a bowl and melt in microwave - 30 second intervals.  Let cool slightly.

In a big bowl, beat butter, milk, vanilla, and sugar.

Add melted chocolate, beat well. 

Done and done. You have homemade cupcakes from scratch!  And I can't lie they are quite tasty... I had 3 of them.  Oops...haha.  Hope you enjoy them as much as we did at home and at the Census Bureau (aka work)!