Sometimes you just want a cupcake. Right?! Not an entire cake, not a half dozen cupcakes… just one cupcake. Well, yesterday was my birthday and I didn’t want a whole cake around the house all week, tempting me, so I decided to just make 2 cupcakes. One for me, and one for my husband.

So, I broke down my favorite yellow cake recipe and successfully made 2 cupcakes. They just came out of the oven and I’m waiting for them to cool so I can frost them. They smell divine!

Meanwhile, here’s the recipe for 2 cupcakes, and below that is a recipe to make 2 round 8″ cake layers… just in case you want an entire cake!  

2 Yellow Cupcakes with Chocolate Whipped Frosting

INGREDIENTS
For Cupcakes:
1 Tbsp Butter or Coconut Oil  (I used Coconut Oil)
3 Tbsp Sugar
1 Egg
¼ tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
3 Tbsp Milk of your Choice (I used unsweetened Coconut Milk)
¼ cup Flour
½ tsp Baking Powder
Pinch of Sea Salt

For Frosting 2 cupcakes:
½ cup Organic Whipping Cream
2 Tbsp Sugar
2 Tbsp Unsweetened Cocoa
½ tsp Chambord, optional

METHOD
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
For Cupcakes:
Prepare your cupcake tins by greasing them with a little butter and coating with sugar, or just use some baking cups.
Set aside.
In a large bowl whisk together the coconut oil and sugar.
Add the egg and vanilla as you continue to mix.
Whisk in the milk.
Add in the flour, baking powder and salt.
Mix just until blended.
Pour the batter evenly into the 2 prepared cupcake tins.
Bake for approximately 15 to 20 minutes, or until the toothpick inserted in the center comes out dry.
Remove from oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes before removing cakes from pan.
Once the cupcakes have completely cooled, frost.

For Frosting:
In a large bowl whisk together the whipping cream, sugar, and cocoa.
Continue to whisk until the cream becomes stiff.
Stir in the Chambord, if desired.
Enjoy!!

The Best Yellow Cake
Makes 1 round 8” layer cake (and you can easily double the recipe)

INGREDIENTS
1 stick Butter, room temperature (plus extra to grease the cake pan)
½ cup Sugar (plus extra to coat the cake pan)
2 Eggs
1 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
½ cup Milk of your choice (I usually use Half & Half for this recipe)
1 cup of Flour
1 tsp Baking Powder
½ tsp Salt

METHOD
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Prepare your cake pans by greasing them with a little butter and coating with sugar.
Set aside.
In the bowl of your electric mixer cream together the butter and sugar until light and creamy.
Add the eggs and vanilla as you continue to mix.
Turn the mixer down to low, pour in the Milk and mix until incorporated.
Turn the mixer off and add the flour, baking powder and salt.
Turn mixer onto low and mix just until blended.
Pour the batter evenly into the 2 prepared pans.
Bake for approximately 25 minutes, or until the toothpick inserted in the center comes out dry.
Remove from oven and allow to cool for 10 to 15 minutes before removing cakes from pan.
Allow cakes to cool completely before frosting, as desired.

NOTE: I used coconut oil in the cupcake recipe. If you want to use coconut oil in this recipe, as well, I’m sure it would work out fine. I would only use 4 Tbsp instead of 8. However, I have not tested it… so if you do use the coconut oil for the entire cake recipe, I would love to hear your feedback.

VARIATIONS: There are so many things you can do with this cake batter to change it up. Here are just a few ideas: add chopped cherries into the batter and frost with white frosting; add chocolate chips into the batter; use batter for a pineapple upside down cake and substitute pineapple juice for the milk; use for Boston Cream Pie; or add coconut extract instead of vanilla and top with coconut frosting…

For the frosting: if you want vanilla icing just omit the Cocoa and add 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract. Like it sweeter? Just add a little more sugar!  

Yummy!

This recipe makes about 18 cupcakes.

INGREDIENTS
For cupcakes:
1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup hot water
3/4 cup buttermilk
2 large eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

For chocolate frosting:
1 cup unsalted butter
3 Tablespoons dark corn syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 pinch salt
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa, sifted
1 lb confectioners’ sugar, sifted
1/2 cup whipping cream
candy sprinkles (optional)

METHOD
Cupcakes:
Sift the flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt into the bowl of a heavy mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; add sugar. Turn the mixer on low and add, in order; water, milk, eggs, oil and vanilla; scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat on medium, briefly, to achieve a smooth batter.

Scoop the batter into muffin tins lines with paper baking cups; each cup should be about half full; slide the tins onto a baking sheet and bake at 325° until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 30 minutes.

While cupcakes are cooling, prepare the frosting.

Frosting:
Cream the butter in the bowl of a mixer, using the paddle attachment; beat in the corn syrup, vanilla and salt.

With the machine off, spoon in the cocoa; carefully turn the mixer on low so as to avoid cocoa inhalement; do likewise for the sugar, in three parts; last, add the cream then beat until fluffy.

When the cupcakes are completely cool, frost generously and shake on some sprinkles if you like.