Easter Cupcakes

Cupcakes are quite the craze lately, so I wanted to make them for Easter, with my own special twist.

I had made this particular chocolate cupcakes before, for a party, but this time I made my own buttercream frosting, dyed it yellow for Easter, topped it with sprinkles, and then made bunny molds out of milk chocolate.

They were a lot of fun- everyone enjoyed them!
Chocolate Sour Cream Cupcakes

(recipe from Elinor Klivans)

3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped

1 c. unbleached all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 c. unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 1/4 c. sugar

2 large eggs

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 c. sour cream

1/2 c. water

Put chocolate in a heatproof bowl or the top of a double boiler placed over, but not touching, barely simmering water. Stir until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Remove from the water and set aside to cool slightly.

Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a medium bowl and set aside.

In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the butter and sugar until smoothly blended and creamy, about 2 minutes. Stop the mixer and scrape the sides of the bowl as needed during mixing. On low speed, mix in the melted chocolate. On medium speed, add the eggs one at a time, mixing until each is blended into the batter. Add the vanilla and beat until the mixture looks creamy and the color has lightened slightly, about 1 minute. Mix in the sour cream until no white streaks remain. On low speed, add half of hte flour mixture, mixing just to incorporate it. Mix in the water. Mix in the remaining flour mixture until it is incorporated and the batter looks smooth.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Fill muffin cups with cupcake liners with about 1/3 c. batter. Bake about 15 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes on wire rack and turn out to cool completely. Yields 18 cupcakes.

Butter Cream Frosting

1/2 cup vegetable shortening

1 stick butter

1 vanilla extract

4 cups confectioners sugar

2 tablespoons milk

-Cream shortening and butter with a hand mixer or stand mixer. Add the vanilla, and then a cup of sugar at a time. Add the milk and beat until light and fluffy.

-For the bunny molds, melt any type of chocolate you like and carefully pour into the molds. Let sit until hard, then pop out and place on top of the cupcakes.