BEST Chocolate Cupcakes & Buttercream Frosting EVER

BEST Chocolate Cupcakes & Buttercream Frosting EVER – hands down the BEST cupcakes EVER! Doctor up cake mix and top it with the most delicious buttercream frosting EVER! Everyone in our family requests these cupcakes for their birthday! SO good! #cake #dessert #cupcakes #buttercream

Yesterday was Chicken Leg’s birthday.  Chicken Leg’s favorite cake is chocolate with white icing.  When he was little, his Mom would have to make two cakes.  One for him and one for the rest of his family because he wouldn’t share HIS cake.  Nowadays, he only gets one cake for his birthday celebration. I am honored that he shares his cake with me (I think it is really because I won’t indulge him and make extra cakes).  

This year Chicken Legs requested cupcakes instead of a cake. I was really excited because it gave me a chance to use my new piping tip (#827).  I’ve had this chocolate cake recipe bookmarked for a while and I was glad to finally give it a try.  We loved it!  It really is the BEST! It is honestly better than any bakery cake. Don’t substitute low-fat or sugar-free stuff – this is an indulgence.  Live a little!

I adapted the buttercream from Billy’s Bakery in NYC.  It was great!  I think it was just as good as Olexa’s here in Mountain Brook (if you knew how good that was, you would already have this icing going in your mixer – seriously!).

I’ve made this cake in all sized cake pans and it turns out great every single time. This is our go-to recipe for all of our family’s birthday celebrations. Give this a try the next time you need cake or cupcakes. I promise you won’t be disappointed!

Recipe Print Recipe

BEST Chocolate Cupcakes & Buttercream Frosting EVER

Author: Plain Chicken

Yield: 1 cake

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 40 minutes mins

BEST Chocolate Cupcakes & Buttercream Frosting EVER – hands down the BEST cupcakes EVER! Doctor up cake mix and top it with the most delicious buttercream frosting EVER! Everyone in our family requests these cupcakes for their birthday! SO good! #cake #dessert #cupcakes #buttercream

Equipment:

• 9-inch Round Cake Pan
• 8-inch Round Cake Pan
• Muffin Pan
• Hand Mixer
• Kitchen-Aid Mixer

Ingredients:

The BEST Chocolate Cake

• 1 box devil’s food cake mix
• 1 (3.9-oz) package Jello instant chocolate pudding mix
• 1 cup sour cream, not low fat
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 4 eggs
• ½ cup milk
• 1 tsp vanilla

Seriously, the BEST Vanilla Buttercream

• 1 cup butter, room temperature
• 6 cups powdered sugar, may need a little more
• ½ cup whipping cream
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Instructions:

The BEST Chocolate Cake

• Preheat oven to 350ºF.
• In a very large bowl, mix together all ingredients. The batter will be thick. Pour batter into cake pan of choice.
• For cooking time, use the cooking times on the back of the devil’s food cake box as a guide. Do the toothpick check after the suggested cooking time; if it’s not done check on it every 5 mins after that.
• Cool and frost with buttercream (recipe below).

Seriously, the BEST Vanilla Buttercream

• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter until smooth and creamy, 2 to 3 minutes.
• With mixer on low speed, add 6 cups sugar, whipping cream, and vanilla; mix until light and fluffy.
• If necessary, gradually add more powdered sugar to reach desired consistency.

Notes:

I like to make the cake the day before serving. I  refrigerate the cake after making it and serve it at room temperature.

Store cake in an air-tight container. 

Can store cake in the refrigerator or on the counter. 

Plain Chicken

https://www.plainchicken.com/best-chocolate-cupcakes-buttercream/

All images and text © Plain Chicken, Inc.

Did you make this recipe?Mention @plainchicken or tag #plainchicken!

Steph