Chocolate Cupcakes

I made these for a Scooby Doo themed birthday. Don't they look great??

To make the cupcakes you need:

1& 1/2 cups Flour
1/3 cup cocoa
1tsp coffee
1& 1/2 cups Sugar
1 stick unsalted Butter
1 teaspoon Baking soda
1/4 teaspoon Baking powder
2 Eggs
1 cup Buttermilk
1/2 cup hot water

Preheat the oven to 350.

In a bowl, add the flour, sugar, butter, cocoa, coffee, baking soda and baking powder. Mix with a spoon just until its all lightly blended together. Now, get the mixer out. Mix the powered mixture for about 1 minute. Powdered mix will go EVERYWHERE if your bowl is not deep enough. Now, with your mixer still running, add the hot water. Mix until it is all clumpy lumpy looking. You'll see it start to get dark and wet and thats a good thing!! Now, take those two eggs and add one. Mix it well - there should be NO yellow from the egg anywhere in the batter. You want this egg and the next to be fully absorbed into the batter. Add the second egg. Mix well again - each egg should take about a minute or two to be fully  absorbed. After both eggs, you'll notice that the batter is a thick lumpy mess, not yet a liquid. There will still be some lumps after it turns to liquid, but don't worry. Add the buttermilk and MIX! Don't forget to scrape down the sides of your bowl to get all the excess stuff clinging to the sides! Mix for about two minutes on low speed. I made 24 cupcakes. But you can also make 1 9x13 or 2 round 9 inch cakes. up to you. If you're making the cakes, slide them in the oven for about 25 minutes. Check with a knife in the center of the pan(s) at 25 minutes. If it comes out clean, they're done. They shouldn't have to cook for more than 30 minutes MAX. 

Since I made cupcakes, that's how we'll go on. I'm lame and totally did not and do not have liners in the house. I forget those little things ALL THE TIME!  Spray your pan with cooking spray so its greased. If you have liners, no worries. To fill the cupcakes and get even cupcakes the same height, I take a 1/4 cup measuring cup and use it to fill my pan. I get the same amount each time and it ensures all the cupcakes come out the same height. No mess, less hassle and no second guessing how much is "too much" for each little hole. :) Look at that post baked uniformity !! Perfect.

Don't judge the pan.

Fill the pans. If you have left over, don't worry. IF you don't have any left over batter, no biggie there either. Put them in the oven for 15 minutes. Check the middle cupcake in the center of each pan after 18 minutes. If the knife comes out clean, they're done. They shouldn't need more than 22 minutes to cook.  Cool the cupcakes for 5 minutes, then remove from pans to finish cooling completely.
Once cooled, decorate any way you want!!!