The Witchery

So I managed to use something from my "Pantry of Questionable Purchases" (find a cool ingredient, have no idea what to do with it, leave in pantry until I find a use or it goes bad) to make cupcakes for the office Halloween party (the one I already baked a cheesecake and two pies for). One of the themes for the party was "black food" (which kinda makes me glad I'm actually missing the party) and HEY! I've got Black Cocoa from King Arthur Flour. Yay.


Black Chocolate Cupcakes with Orange Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients

Cupcakes:
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup Dutch cocoa
1/4 cup Black cocoa
1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup boiling water

Frosting:
1 8-ounce package cream cheese, room temperature
1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
Grated orange peel from 1 large orange
2 tablespoons orange juice
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Prepare two cupcake pans with paper liners. In a large bowl combine flour, sugar, cocoa, espresso powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Mix together with a wooden spoon then set aside. In small bowl combine eggs, milk, oil and vanilla. Beat well with hand mixer. Slowly add boiling water and mix. Add wet ingredients to flour mixture and fold and stir until smooth. I found it easier to pour some of the batter into a pyrex measuring cup and then pour the batter into the liners. Bake for 20-22 minutes. Remove from oven and let sit in pan for 10 minutes before taking cupcakes out of pan and cooling on rack. Let cool completely.

Using stand mixer, beat cream cheese, butter, juice and orange peel in large bowl until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating until frosting is light and fluffy.