Mocha Cupcakes

Ingredients

Cupcakes

• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 1 cup boiling water
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• (Makes 18 (2 1/2 inch) cupcakes)

Frosting

• 3 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
• 1/2 cup cocoa, sifted
• 1/3 cup butter, at room temperature
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• salt, pinch
• 1/3 cup cold strong coffee
• Garnish: Shaved chocolate

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Cupcakes

1. Line your muffin pan with cupcake papers.
2. Place cocoa in a small bowl.
3. Add water, slowly stirring, until well blended and smooth.
4. Set aside until lukewarm.
5. In a small bowl, mix flour, baking soda and salt.
6. In medium bowl, cream butter and sugar with an electric mixer until fluffy.
7. Beat in eggs, one at a time.
8. Add the cooled chocolate mixture all at once, add vanilla and stir well.
9. Add the flour mixture all at once and stir with a wooden spoon until smooth and patches of white disappear.
10. Do not over mix.
11. Using a measuring cup, dip out the batter and place in the cupcake pans; the cupcake pans should be about 3/4 full.
12. Bake for 15 minutes or until a toothpick comes clean when poked into the cakes.
13. Remove and place onto cooling racks.

Frosting

1. Remove lumps from both sugar and cocoa by placing the measured ingredients into a sieve set over a bowl; push and rub with the back of a spoon or rubber spatula.
2. Using an electric mixer, cream the butter until smooth.
3. Add the vanilla and salt.
4. Add the sugar all at once and mix until almost blended.
5. Beat in as much of the coffee as needed, a little bit at a time to make a smooth, spreadable frosting.
6. Garnish with shaved chocolate.