Day 334 - Surprise Cupcakes

Today is Maria's 5 1/2 birthday. She has a July birthday so I decided to have her take treats into school today. Also, it was just a fun excuse to bake.

These cupcake are so easy and highly addictive. If you know me at all, you know that I despise canned frosting. This frosting is what absolutely puts them over the edge. I'm not sure kindergarteners will 100% appreciate them, but it's never too early to encourage "from-scratch." (Thank you to my neighbor Joey for the recipe.)

Heavenly Surprise Cupcakes

2 eggs
1-1/4 cups sugar
1 cup buttermilk
2/3 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
1-1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup baking cocoa
1-1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt

Frosting:
2/3 cup butter flavored shortening
2/3 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 can (5 oz.) evaporated milk (I can't find a 5 oz can, so I used part of a 14 oz.)
1 tablespoon water
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups confectioners' sugar

1.) First beat the eggs, sugar, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla. Combine the dry ingredients and gradually add to the wet. Fill paper lined muffin cups 2/3 full. Lick off extra batter.


2) Bake at 350 degrees for 20 - 22 minutes. Cool completely.

3) For the frosting, cream the shortening, butter and sugar. Stir in milk, water, and vanilla. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar. Be sure to taste.

4) For this part a pastry bag with a star tip or a decorator tube is helpful because you are going to shove frosting down into each cupcake until they are stuffed like a jelly-filled doughnut.

See how they are fat and happy now!

5) Use the extra frosting for the tops.

I had plenty of frosting left over. I might make another batch of cupcakes so that it doesn't go to waste. In the future, I might cut down the recipe for the frosting so I don't have as much left over.

This makes about 24 perfect cupcakes. Enjoy!