Mini Cupcakery

As I mentioned in an earlier post this week, my Aunt asked me to make all the desserts for my cousin's baby-naming reception last week. Since the guest list extended to 50 plus people I knew for sure that I wanted to make close to 1 zillion mini cupcakes. I used Billy's Vanilla Vanilla and Billy's Chocolate recipe for the cakes and interchanged Billy's Vanilla and Chocolate buttercreams. (For the Vanilla recipe, click the links; for chocolate recipe, see below). It got so out of hand with the amounts of mini's taking over my kitchen that at the end I decided to make king size cuppies just to get rid of the batter!

OK, let me say this. I don't know why, what, where, when, or how these were the best tasting cupcakes I've ever made being that I've made this recipe several times before, but they were the most AMAZING this time around. The cupcakes literally melted in your mouth. As a person who doesn't really care for buttercream, Billy's Vanilla buttercream was the best tasting "frosting" I've ever had.  I will officially no longer use any other recipe but Billy Reece's. Billy, you are my hero....

Chocolate Cupcakes by Billy Reece
Yields 24 to 27 cupcakes (I made mini's and it made about 1 million)

INGREDIENTS
• 2 sticks unsalted butter (8 ounces)
• 1 cup granulated sugar (7 ounces)
• 1 cup light brown sugar (7-3/4 ounces)
• 4 large eggs (one at a time)
• 6 ounces unsweetened chocolate
• 2 cups cake flour (9-1/4 ounces)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup buttermilk (room temperature)
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS
Cream:
2 sticks unsalted butter (8 ounces)
1 cup granulated sugar (7 ounces)
1 cup light brown sugar (7-3/4 ounces)
Add:
4 large eggs (one at a time)
6 ounces unsweetened chocolate (chocolate should be melted, then cooled for approximately 15 minutes before being added).
Add and alternate:
2 cups cake flour (9-1/4 ounces)
1 teaspoon baking soda
With: 
1 cup buttermilk (room temperature)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Place cupcake paper into each cup of 2 muffin pans (each pan yielding 12 muffins). Then fill each cup with 1 leveled off scoop of an ice cream scooper.

Bake at 350 degrees in regular oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until tester comes out clean. (Because mine were mini's they obviously didn't need as much baking time so I just kept an eye on them around 15 minutes in)

Simple Chocolate Buttercream by Billy Reece
INGREDIENTS
• 4 sticks butter
• 12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
• 2-3/4 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1/4 cup whole milk
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS
Cream (with hand or stand mixer): 
4 sticks butter (16 ounces) until light and fluffy, approximately 5 minutes

Melt (in microwave or double boiler):
12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate

Set aside and allow to cool for approximately 20 minutes. After chocolate has cooled, add it to the creamed butter and mix on low speed until just combined. Scrape sides of bowl then …

Add: 
2-3/4 cups confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

On low speed of a hand or stand mixer, mix until fully incorporated; no confectioners' sugar should be visible. Mixture should be smooth and medium brown in color.

Do not refrigerate; use immediately or store in airtight container for up to 2 days.