Chocolate Cupcakes

1Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a cupcake pan with cupcake liners.

2In a large mixing bowl, combine the all-purpose flour (1½ cups), granulated sugar (1 cup), cocoa powder, baking powder (1 teaspoon), baking soda (½ teaspoon), and salt (½ teaspoon). Whisk together until well combined.

3Add the softened butter to the dry ingredients and mix on medium speed until the mixture is crumbly and well combined.

4Add the eggs (2 large), vanilla extract (1 teaspoon), and whole milk (1 cup) to the mixture. Beat on medium speed for about 2 minutes until smooth and well blended.

5Carefully stir in the boiling water (½ cup) until the batter is well combined. The batter will be thin, but that's okay!

6Pour the batter into the prepared cupcake liners, filling each about 2/3 full.

7Bake in the preheated oven for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

8Once baked, remove the cupcakes from the oven and let them cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

9While the cupcakes are cooling, prepare the frosting. In a mixing bowl, combine the powdered sugar (1 cup), cocoa powder, softened butter, heavy cream, and vanilla extract (1 teaspoon).

10Beat the frosting on medium speed until smooth and creamy, adjusting the consistency with more cream or powdered sugar (1 cup) as needed.

11Once the cupcakes are completely cool, frost them generously with the chocolate frosting using a spatula or piping bag.

12Enjoy your decadent chocolate cupcakes!