I was looking through my cookbooks for a recipe with buttermilk, since I had some in the fridge. This seemed like a simple recipe. I baked them and was picking out a frosting when I realized that I previously made this recipe a few months ago. When I ate them, I realized why I didn’t remember making them, they are very forgettable. I didn’t even remember to blog about them. They have a nice texture but very little flavor. I think these would be better with a filling and a strong frosting. Or they can be a base for additional flavors. I actually got sixteen cupcakes. The frosting was used in Surprise Cookies which were a chocolate cookie base, with a marshmallow and a chocolate frosting to hide the marshmallow and make it a surprise. This frosting is very thick and a little sweet. If I made it again I would use less confectioners sugar and this would still have enough thickness but it would be a little less sweet.
Buttermilk Cupcakes
adapted from Cupcakes: Luscious bakeshop favorites from your home kitchen by Shelly Kaldunski
makes 12 cupcakes
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup sugar
4 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 tbl vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk
Chocolate frosting
adapted from Martha Stewart’s Cookies
3 cups confectioners’ sugar
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
¼ cup plus 1 ½ teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder (not dutch-processed)
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons whole milk
¾ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Put confectioners’ sugar in a medium bowl. Melt butter with the cocoa powder in a saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. Add butter mixture to the confectioners’ sugar. Whisk in the milk and vanilla.