Lethal Chocolate Cupcakes & Chocolate Buttercream Icing

Cupcakes:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 tbsp white vinegar
1 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 375 F. Grease a 12-cup muffin pan or line the cups with paper liners. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder and baking soda. Add milk, oil, vinegar and vanilla. Beat with a whisk or electric mixer until smooth.

Spoon batter into the prepared muffin pan, filling cups about 3/4 full. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the centre of a cupcake comes out clean. Remove cupcakes from pan and let cool on a rack. Makes 12 perfectly lethal cupcakes.
(Note: I baked these at 350 F)

Source: The Clueless Baker, 2001

Chocolate Buttercream

1 cup unsalted butter, very soft
1 tbsp plus 1 tsp milk
6 ounces semisweet chocolate, melted and cooled to lukewarm
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar

In a medium-size bowl, beat the butter until creamy, about 3 minutes.
Add the milk carefully and beat until smooth. Add the melted chocolate and beat well. Add the vanilla extract and beat for 3 minutes. Gradually add the sugar and beat until creamy and of desired consistency.

Note: To melt chocolate, place in a double boiler over simmering water on low heat for approximately 5-10 minutes. Stir occasionally until completely smooth and no pieces of chocolate remain. Remove from heat and let cool 5-10 minutes.

Source: The Magnolia Bakery Cookbook, 1999