(The Best) Classic Yellow Cupcakes with Chocolate Frosting

RECIPE - Makes 22-24 cupcakes

Cupcakes:

1/2 cup butter (at room temperature/softened)

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 eggs + 2 yolks

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup oil

1 1/2 cups buttermilk

2 cups flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Frosting:

1 cup butter (softened)

3-4 cups powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup cocoa powder

4 ounces chocolate, melted then slightly cooled

1/3 cup sour cream

INSTRUCTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line your cupcake tins.

With stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat sugar and butter for 3 to 4 minutes until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and almond extracts. Add salt.

Add eggs and yolks one at a time until incorporated into the butter/sugar mixture.

Combine oil and buttermilk and set aside.

Turn off mixer and plop in the flour and the baking soda and powder. Turn mixer on low and as it turns, pour in the milk/oil mixtures slowly. Mix until batter is just combined. Fill cupcake liners 3/4 of the way with the batter. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool before frosting

For the frosting:

Beat butter in stand mixer and frequently stop the mixer and add 1 cup of at a time of sifted* powdered sugar. Add cocoa powder. Add melted chocolate. Finally, add the sour cream. Beat on low speed so that air pockets don’t develop in the frosting. Frost cupcakes as desired.

Both cupcakes and frosting keep in the freezer for at least a month.

*It’s important to sift the powdered sugar so that you don’t get clumps in your frosting. I never used to sift my powdered sugar and one too many times I became very frustrated with all the lumps that remained.