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chocolate cupcakes with royal blue icing

Snowflake Cupcakes

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: snowflake cupcakes
Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cook Time: 22 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 7 minutes
Servings: 24
Calories: 383kcal
Classic chocolate cupcakes topped with vanilla cream cheese frosting and royal icing snowflakes!
Print Recipe

Ingredients

Perfectly Chocolate Cupcakes

  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa best quality available
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract best quality available
  • 1 cup boiling water

Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting

  • ½ cup unsalted butter 1 stick/8 tablespoons, set at room temp about 10 minutes, but should still be cool
  • 8 oz cream cheese directly from fridge
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract always use pure vanilla extract if possible
  • 4 cups powdered confectioners sugar
  • 1 to 4 tablespoons heavy cream heavy whipping cream (or milk- although I do like the richness that cream adds)

Royal Icing

  • 4 tablespoons meringue powder
  • 4 cups powdered sugar about 1 pound
  • 6 tablespoons warm water to start

Instructions

Perfectly Chocolate Cupcakes

  • Line muffin tin with paper liners. Heat oven to 350*F.
  • In a large mixing bowl, stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
  • Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla. Beat on medium speed for one minute.
  • Stir in boiling water (the batter will be thin, don’t worry, this is right).
  • Fill liners 2/3 full with batter. (I usually put the batter into a large measuring cup with a pour spout, and then pour the batter into the liners.)
  • Bake cupcakes for approximately 18-22 minutes.
  • Cool completely on wire rack before frosting.

Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting

  • Place butter in a large mixing bowl and beat until smooth. Add cream cheese and blend until fully combined and smooth, about 30 seconds.
  • Add vanilla extract and powdered sugar and blend on low speed until combined. Increase to medium speed and beat until it begins to get fluffy.
  • Slowly add the heavy cream, a little bit at a time until desired consistency is met. (Don’t add too much if you want the frosting to stay in place when piped on cupcakes.)
  • Beat until fluffy, about 1 minute.
  • Use at once or keep refrigerated. (This frosting will keep well in the refrigerator for several days, but you may need to re-beat it for the best texture.)

Royal Icing

  • Beat all ingredients until stiff peaks form.
  • Spoon some of the thick white icing into individual bowls and add coloring .
  • Add additional water, about 1 teaspoon at a time until you’ve reached the consistency you need.

Nutrition

Calories: 383kcal | Carbohydrates: 66g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 36mg | Sodium: 243mg | Potassium: 90mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 57g | Vitamin A: 291IU | Calcium: 43mg | Iron: 1mg