The mini muffin pan is the newest addition to my kitchen and it is a very welcome addition too. It’s so versatile for cupcakes and also appetizers such as tartlets, quiches, and a whole host of other things. I just love how they make these single-bite mini cupcakes. There’s just something about bite-sized food that is so appetizing. It may be that it makes me feel like I can eat more than one. Actually, I’m sure that’s why!
I made both mini and full-sized cupcakes for a baby shower recently. Can you guess what gender the baby is? The baby blue frosting was just enough to add to the theme, but not too much that is was unappetizing. Blue and brown is such a classic color combination too.
I made a special trip to my local craft store to buy blue cupcake liners to match these cakes. As you can see they didn’t make much of an impact on the overall look of the cupcake, but I knew they were there! Now, I get why I’ve been seeing double and even triple-lined cupcakes on magazines. If you really want your paper liners to pop, you can add another one to the outside of the cupcakes just for presentation.
Chocolate Cupcake with Chocolate Frosting
From Hershey’s Kitchens
2 cups sugar
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup HERSHEY’S Cocoa
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water
Chocolate frosting (recipe follows)
Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round baking pans.
Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Pour batter into prepared pans.
Line muffin cups (2-1/2 inches in diameter) with paper bake cups. Heat oven to 350°F. Fill cups 2/3 full with batter. Bake 22 to 25 minutes. Cool completely. Frost. About 30 cupcakes.
Easy Buttercream Frosting
1 cup (2 sticks) butter (room temperature)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 lb. powdered sugar
1-3 teaspoons milk
Using a mixer, cream softened butter and vanilla until smooth.
Add sugar gradually, allowing butter and sugar to cream together before adding more.
If you want your frosting a little creamier, add a teaspoon of milk at a time and beat on high until you get the right texture.
Then, just use icing colors to tint the frosting the color of your choice.
This is usually just enough for a 2-layer cake, so I would recommend doubling this for a three-layer.
Karen in the Kitchen 
Karen, what is 10x powdered sugar?? Oh, and I just came across this great Etsy shop the other day: http://www.etsy.com/shop/sweetestelle It has so many fun things! 🙂
Larissa
10x sugar refers to the fineness of the sugar. Basically, it’s powdered sugar.
I’ll check out the site, thanks!
What a beautiful blog!!!
Want to make those cupcakes for my daughter birthday party.
Is it possible to frost and refrigerate the cupcake 3-4 hours before serving, without it break down/damaged?
Thank you Sharon! With buttercream frosting, you can actually leave the cupcakes out in room temperature and they will be just fine. You can definitely refrigerate them, but then the frosting may get a little hard. You only need to refrigerate frostings that contain milk like whipped cream and cream cheese.
Thanks!
If you cook them in 9″ rounds instead of as cupcakes, how long do they cook?
Jenna,
For two, 9 inch round cake pans, bake for 30-35 minutes. Just make sure to either line your pans with parchment paper, or grease and flour with cocoa powder before pouring in the batter. Hope that helps!
What type or brand of coloring did you use to make the frosting blue?
Stefanie,
I used the Americolor gel food color, in pastel blue.
Karen,
I only see royal blue, sky blue, and teal. I cannot find a pastel blue.
Hi Summer, you can use sky blue and just squeeze one small drop at a time and mix in after each drop. You get pastel with less drops of the gel food coloring.
Hello! I’m excited to try your recipe to make cupcakes for an upcoming baby shower for my sister in law.
I was wondering how far in advance do you think I could prepare the cupcake portion without the frosting, and how you think I should store it before the event?
Hi Haley, you should be safe to bake the cupcakes 3-4 days ahead and make sure they are sealed in an air tight container in the refrigerator. Happy baking!!