This winter we were so busy with my daughters cheerleading activities. She was cheering for basketball, wrestling and competing. Competition cheerleading is still going on but basketball and wrestling has wrapped up for the season. The cheerleaders had an end of the year party and I volunteered to make cupcakes for them. I wanted to incorporate their school colors, black, red and white. I figured the perfect way to do that is to make chocolate cupcakes and make the icing red and white. They turned out exactly how I pictured them and they tasted even better!

I’m proud of my cheerleader and all the hard work she’s done. I feel so blessed that my daughter is surrounded by such a great group of girls. They have all done such a fantastic job this year and deserved a decadent treat like these cupcakes.

Dark Chocolate Cupcakes:

Makes 24 cupcakes*

*I doubled this recipe with no problem

• 16 tbs (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 16 pieces
• 4 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped
• 1 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 4 large eggs, at room temperature
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 cup sour cream

1. Microwave the butter, chocolate, and cocoa together, whisking often, until melted and smooth, 1 to 3 minutes. Set aside to cool until just warm to the touch.
2. Meanwhile, adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 350 degrees. Line two muffin pans with cupcake liners. Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl and set aside.
3. Whisk the eggs and vanilla together in a large bowl. Slowly whisk in the sugar until combined. Whisk in the cooled chocolate mixture.
4. Sift one-third of the flour mixture over the batter, then whisk it in. Whisk in the sour cream. Sift the remaining flour mixture over the batter and whisk until completely incorporated. (the batter will be thick).
5. Fill the cupcake liners about two-thirds full. Bake until a wooden skewer inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out with a few crumbs attached, 18-22 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through baking.
6. Let the cupcakes cool in the pans on wire racks for 5 minutes. Remove from the pans and let cool completely on the racks before frosting, about 1 hour.

Quick and Rich Vanilla Frosting:

Makes enough to cover 24 cupcakes

• 2 tbs heavy cream
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Pinch Salt
• 2 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
• 2 1/2 cups confectioner sugar

Stir the cream, vanilla and salt together in a small bowl until the salt dissolves. Beat the butter with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until smooth, 30-60 seconds. Reduce the speed to medium-low, slowly add the confectioners sugar, and beat until smooth, 2 to 5 minutes. Beat in the cream mixture. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat until the mixture is light and fluffy, 4-8 minutes.

Source: America’s Test Kitchen Family Cookbook