Chocolate Cupcakes with Vanilla Bean Buttercream

It was my responsibility to bring dessert to my Grandmother's house today for our Christmas dinner. Well we won't be going since M is still sick, but I still needed to bake something, so I made these cupcakes last night. My Mom will take them over, and hopefully everyone will enjoy them. We are bummed that we are missing out on all these Christmas parties, but that is life with kids. Hopefully next year everyone will be healthy, and we can try again.

If you look closely you can see those wonderful black specks in the frosting, they are my favorite part.

Chocolate Cupcakes
From Cooks Country

10 tablespoons butter room temperature
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
3 eggs
1/2 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate-chopped
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon instant coffee
1 1/4 cups boiling water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, if you are making a cake then grease and flour 3 8" cake pans if making cupcakes then it will make 30 of them

In a bowl combine flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt, set aside.

In another bowl combine cocoa, chocolate, coffee and water stir until chocolate is melted.

In the bowl of your mixer combine butter and sugar beat until light and fluffy 3-6 minutes. Then add eggs one at a time beating well after each one, then add in sour cream and vanilla.

Next with your mixer on low add in 1/3 of the flour, then 1/2 of chocolate mixture, 1/2 of remaining flour and then chocolate then the remaining flour. Mix until just combined. Take off of mixer and give a good stir with your spatula.

Divide between cake pans or cupcake pans. I like to use a large 3 tablespoon scoop so my cupcakes are all the same size.

Bake cake for 25-35 minutes or cupcakes for 15-16 minutes. Let cool then remove from pans to cool completely before frosting.

Vanilla Bean Butter cream frosting
2 sticks unsalted butter
6 cups powdered sugar
6 tablespoons heavy cream
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 vanilla bean

Slice vanilla bean in half and scrape out seeds set aside. In your mixer beat butter until light and fluffy, add in powdered sugar then on low speed pour in vanilla, vanilla bean seeds and heavy cream, once all powdered sugar is wet, turn mixer on med to med-high and let beat for 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy. Remove and either frost with a offset spatula or a piping bag.

Enjoy!!