Cupcakes in Cupcakes!

My latest creation was baking chocolate iced chocolate cupcakes into vanilla iced vanilla cupcakes! It turned out well:

The cupcakes tasted delicious! The chocolate cupcake was the perfect center to a vanilla cupcake!

Mini Chocolate Cupcakes (from Martha Stewart)
Yield: Makes 18 to 24 full cupcakes (you can cut this in half)

• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 
• 1 1/2 cups sugar 
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda 
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder 
• 3/4 teaspoon salt 
• 2 large eggs 
• 3/4 cup warm water 
• 3/4 cup buttermilk 
• 3 tablespoons canola oil 
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners; set aside. Sift together cocoa powder, flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into a large bowl. Add eggs, warm water, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla, and mix until smooth, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of bowl to assure batter is well mixed.

2. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups, filling each 2/3 full. Bake until tops spring back when touched, about 20 minutes, rotating pan once if needed. Transfer to a wire rack; let cool completely.

Chocolate Frosting (adapted from Martha Stewart)

• 2 1/4 cups powdered sugar 
• 1/2 cup Hershey's Special Dark cocoa powder 
• 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature 
• 1/4 cup whole milk, room temperature 
• 1 teaspoons pure vanilla extract 

1. Combine the powdered sugar and cocoa powder

2. Add the butter, milk, and vanilla

3. Beat until Smooth

4. Add more powdered sugar if frosting is too thin 

5. Freeze thoroughly

Mini Cupcakes (they stuck to the wrappers a bit)

These mini cupcakes paired with the dark chocolate buttercream were divine on their own!

Vanilla Cupcakes (from Cupcake Project)
Yield: 16 cupcakes

• 1 cup granulated sugar 
• 1 T vanilla bean paste 
• 1 3/4 cake flour 
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 
• 1/2 teaspoon salt 
• 1/4 unsalted butter, room temperature 
• 2 large eggs, room temperature 
• 1/3 cup full-fat sour cream 
• 1/4 cup canola oil 
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract 
• 2/3 cup whole milk 

1. Preheat oven to 350 F

2. In a small bowl, combine sugar and vanilla bean paste

3. Mix together cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

4. Add the vanilla sugar and mix until well combined.

5. Add butter and mix on medium-low speed for three minutes.

6. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, sour cream, oil, and vanilla extract until smooth.

7. Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture and beat on medium speed until just combined.

8. Slowly add milk and mix on low speed until just combined.

9. Fill cupcake liners 1/4 of the way up. Place a mini-cupcake on top, cover with additional batter.

10. Bake for 14 minutes

11. When the cupcakes are done, remove them immediately from the tins.

Vanilla Frosting (from Cupcake Project)

• 3 cups confectioners' sugar (add more until it reaches your preferred consistency) 
• 1cup unsalted butter, room temperature 
• 4 teaspoons vanilla bean paste (add more to taste) 
• 2 tablespoon milk 

1. Mix together sugar and butter until they are blended and creamy.

2. Add vanilla bean paste and milk and continue to beat for another minute.

3. If desired, add more vanilla bean paste to taste, or more confectioners' sugar to make it stiffer

Big and Little Cupcakes