Description
Classic chocolate cupcakes with fluffy vanilla American buttercream swirls and rainbow sprinkles.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Chocolate Cupcakes
- 1/2 C (1 Stick) Salted Butter, at room temperature
- 1 C Granulated Sugar
- 3/4 C Light Brown Sugar
- 2 Lg Eggs, at room temperature
- 1 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
- 2 C All Purpose Flour
- 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
- 1/4 tsp Salt
- 1/2 C Dark Cocoa Powder
- 1 1/4 C Buttermilk, at room temperature
For the Vanilla American Buttercream
- 1 1/2 C (3 Sticks) Unsalted Butter, at room temperature
- 2 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
- 1 tsp Salt
- 6 C Powdered Sugar
- 4–6 TBSP Heavy Cream, at room temperature
Instructions
For the Chocolate Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 350 and line cupcake pans with 18 liners.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugars for 5 minutes. Scrape down the bowl as needed.
- Add the eggs and vanilla. Mix to combine.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Alternate adding the dry ingredients and the buttermilk to the mixer, starting and ending with dry ingredients. Start with 1/3 of the dry ingredients, then 1/2 of the buttermilk, repeat.
- Stop mixing when there are a few streaks of flour remaining to prevent overmixing. Do a final mix with a rubber spatula.
- Use a standard ice cream scoop to scoop the batter into the prepared pan, filling the liners 3/4 of the way full.
- Bake at 350 for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out mostly clean with a few moist crumbs attached.
- Cool completely while you prepare the buttercream.
For the Vanilla American Buttercream
- In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the butter for 10 minutes, scraping down the bottom and sides of the bowl several times.
- Add the salt and vanilla, mix to combine.
- Add the powdered sugar 1/2 at a time, mixing on low for 3 minutes after each addition.
- Add the heavy cream 1 TBSP at a time until you reach your desired consistency.
- Use a piping bag with a large round tip to pipe buttercream onto cooled cupcakes. Then, use an offset spatula to create a swirl in the center of the buttercream.
- Top with rainbow sprinkles. Serve.
Notes
Cupcakes will keep at room temperature for up to 24 hours, or for up to a week in the fridge in an airtight container.
