Chocolate Almond Cupcakes For Two

Whenever I want to try and make a new flavored batter, I always like to try the "two cupcake" route before I go all out and do a full recipe. I figure if the batter ends up tasting like chalk, then I only ended up wasting two cupcakes for it. Sometimes it's hit or miss. This one was a hit.

Mother's Day was this past weekend and I wanted to make something special for my giver of life. My mother is the reason I turned out to be such a functional human being (although that's debatable at times). She is also one of those gems that has an extreme addiction for chocolate. When I asked her what she'd like me to make for her, that was the first word to come out of her mouth. She'll kill me for telling you this, but she's a true champion of chocolate. She can demolish a family size bag of Raisinets in ONE sitting.

Sorry Mom.

But hey, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.

In honor of my fabulous mother, I present to you chocolate almond cupcakes for two. I ended up making more for her later on, but if you're short on time, these are the perfect treat and don't take much of your day. It's a double chocolate cake with a chocolate almond buttercream. My hubs thought they had sort of a cherry taste to them. It's amazing how much almond, especially when it's extracted, can remind you of a cherry. I promise that you can't go wrong with these. Get to it!

 

3 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons cocoa powder
1/8 teaspoon baking soda (just eyeball half of a quarter-teaspoon and it will be fine)
a pinch of salt

2 tablespoons cold water
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/16 teaspoon vanilla

2 tablespoons semi sweet chocolate morsels (i used mini!)

The How To:

 

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Whisk all the dry ingredients together in a small bowl. In a second small bowl or spouted measuring cup, combine the wet ingredients and the chocolate morsels. Add the dry to the wet and stir til combined, whisking well. Divide batter between two cupcake liners. Bake for 18 minutes or until a tester comes out clean. Allow to cool before frosting.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chocolate Almond Buttercream

 

1 1/3 cups powdered sugar

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

1 tablespoon milk

1/2 tablespoon of Duncan Hines "Chocolate Almond" cupcake flavoring (you can find this in the boxed cake mix section of your grocery store. it's the best evverrr.)

 

 

 

Beat butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add milk and frosting flavoring and mix  until smooth. Pipe onto cooled cupcakes.

 

 

Did any of you guys make some delicious for the amazing mother in your life?

 

 

love.love.love & happy baking!