cupcakes. . .yum!

I went shopping yesterday and found the coolest cupcake carrier. It has two layers, so it can hold up to 24 cupcakes, and it basically just wonderful. I just had to get it. Well, in honor of the new cupcake carrier, I just had to make cupcakes. So I went back to ming makes cupcakes and decided to try a new recipe out.

Espresso Fudge Cupcakes
1 cup unbleached all purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar (I used coconut sugar)
1 tsp. vanilla
3 Tbsp. unsweetened applesauce
3/4 cup milk (which I didn't have on hand so I used half and half)
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips

Cream together butter and sugar. Add applesauce and vanilla.

The recipe called for espresso powder which I didn't have, so I dissolved 2 heaping Tbsp. of instant coffee in about 2 Tbsp. of hot water and added it to the half and half.


Alternately add the flour mixture and the coffee, half and half mixture to the butter mixture until it is all combined.


Stir in the chocolate chips. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes.


The recipe off of ming makes cupcakes calls for chocolate cream cheese frosting. I happened to have some already made up in my fridge from making a cake a while ago, so I just iced them with that instead of making the frosting listed with the recipe. I honestly can't remember what I put in my chocolate cream cheese frosting.