Chocolate Valentine's Cupcakes

Ingredients

Chocolate cupcakes

• 1 cup flour

• 1 cup sugar

• 6 tbs unsweetened cocoa powder

• 1 tsp baking soda

• ½ tsp salt

• 1 large egg

• ½ cup milk

• ½ cup vegetable oil

• ¾ tsp vanilla

• ½ cup of hot water

  Almond Buttercream

• 1 cup butter

• 1 cup butter flavored shortening

• 1½ tsp vanilla

• ½ tsp almond

• 7½ cups powdered sugar

• ⅓ cup heavy whipping cream

Directions

1. Make the chocolate cupcakes: Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Line a cupcake pan with cupcake liners

2. Mix dry ingredients into a bowl and then set aside (flour, baking soda, cocoa, salt, sugar)

3. In another bowl add the egg, milk, vegetable and vanilla. Whisk until well combined.

4. Add wet ingredients into dry and mix until well combined.

5. At this point you will add our hot water (Mix will be very thin)

6. Fill cupcake liners half full. Do not overfill as these will rise.

7. Bake about 18 minutes, then allow to cool before decorating.

8. Make the Almond Buttercream: Combine butter and shortening in an electric mixer until smooth and fluffy

9. Add vanilla, almond and heavy whipping cream and mix until smooth.

10. Add in powdered sugar 1 to 2 cups at a time, mixing well between each round, until light and fluffy.

    If adding color, at this point you may add color.

11. Decorate your cupcakes with the huttercream and serve