Georgetown Cupcake Chocolate Cupcakes

Makes 1 dozen cupcakes

Ingredients:For the cupcakes

• 1 1/4 cups flour, sifted• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, sifted• 1/4 teaspoon salt• 8 tablespoons (4 ounces) European-style unsalted butter at

room temperature• 1 1/4 cups sugar• 2 large eggs, at room temperature• 1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract, preferably Madagascar

bourbon• 1 cup whole milk, at room temperature• 1/2 cup Valrhona cocoa powder, sifted

Directions:

For the cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a standard cupcake pan with 12 baking cups, and a second pan with 6 baking cups.

Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt on a sheet of wax paper or parchment paper.

Place the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer or hand-held electric mixer. Beat on medium speed until fluffy. Stop to add the sugar; beat on medium speed until well incorporated.

Add the eggs one at a time, mixing slowly after each addition.

Combine the vanilla extract and milk in a large liquid measuring cup.

Reduce the speed to low. Add one-third of the flour mixture to the butter mixture, then gradually add one-third of the milk mixture, beating until well incorporated. Add another one-third of the flour mixture, followed by one-third of the milk mixture. Stop to scrape down the bowl as needed. Add the remaining flour mixture, followed by the remaining milk mixture, and beat just until combined.

Add the cocoa powder, beating (on low speed) just until incorporated.Use a standard-size ice cream scoop to fill each

cupcake paper with batter, so that the wells are two-thirds full. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes (start checking at 15 minutes) or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool completely.

Georgetown Cupcake Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

4 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted

1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

6 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

Directions:

Place all ingredients in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; beat until well combined.

With only ONE ingredient addition, this recipe can be transformed into 10 different frostings:

1. Chocolate Frosting - Add 1/2 cup of melted (and cooled) semi-sweet chocolate chips.

2. Lemon Frosting  - Add the juice and zest of 2 lemons.

3. Lime Frosting - Add the juice and zest of 3 limes.

4. Orange Frosting - Add the juice and zest of 1 orange.

5. Mocha Frosting - Add 1/4 cup of cold coffee.

6. Peanut Butter Frosting - Add 1/4 cup of creamy peanut butter.

7. Maple Frosting - Add 1/4 cup of maple syrup.

8. Cinnamon Frosting - Add 2 tsp of ground cinnamon.

9. Mint Frosting - Add 2 tsp of peppermint extract.

10. Toffee Frosting - Add 1/4 cup of crushed toffee candy bar