Chocolate Cupcakes (aka, Just For You, Umm Dawood)

Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem




A belated EID MUBARAK to all my readers!! May Allah accept from us our deeds, ameen!

I love celebrating Eid with a batch of homemade chocolate cupcakes. I also enjoy celebrating the new arrival of a baby with a batch cupcakes as well. Or whipping up a batch as a hostess gift, or making some on any random night of the week. Or afternoon. Mornings also. Really, I make these for no good reason at all, and can you blame me? They're light and moist and getting better with each passing day (no more than 4 days, though!). In fact, I intentionally make them the night before for any occasion just to eat them when they taste the best. Below are some pics of the cupcakes in their many different appearances in our home. Hope they'll become as frequent in yours!

Chocolate Cupcakes
(makes about 30 cupcakes)

2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 1/ 2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup softened butter (1 1/2 sticks)
1 1/2 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 cup granulated sugar
3 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cup milk

1. Whisk flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt together in large bowl. Set aside.

2. Using an electric mixers, cream butter and sugars together until light and fluffy (about 2 minutes).

3. Add eggs and vanilla and continue mixing.

4. Using a spoon, alternately add flour mixture and milk until just blended.

5. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes.

6. Allow to cool completely before frosting.


White Cream Frosting
I never measure this, but just use as much as I think I need. Start out with 1/2 cup vegetable shortening and 1 cup powdered sugar. Beat together, use a couple drops of milk to make it smooth. Add more of each ingredient until you have enough to frost all your cupcakes. Keep tasting along the way to make sure it doesn't get too sweet. Refrigerate left over frosting for up to 5 days.