Chocolate Cupcakes

I made chocolate cupcakes for my son's birthday today! I learned there is a difference between natural cocoa and dutch processed cocoa. In the processing of the dutch coca it is treated with an alkali that neutralizes its acid, so it is best to use this cocoa in recipes without baking soda. Go to joysofbaking.com for more information on the dutch processed cocoa.

If you use dutch processed cocoa, you may want to omit baking soda from the recipe. Below is the recipe and picture of the cupcakes I made with dutch processed cupcake! The adjustments are included for high altitude (above 4,000 ft.)

Chocolate Cupcakes using Dutch Processed Cocoa

2 cups (minus 2 TBS) of Sugar
1 3/4 Cups all-purpose flour
3/4 Cups Dutch Processed Cocoa
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup plus 2 Tbs. boiling water

Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt. Add eggs, milk, and oil and mix for 2 minutes on medium speed. Stir in boiling water--the batter will be thin.

Prepare muffin tins, by placing paper baking cups in each cup. Fill 2/3 full with batter. Recipe makes 24 cupcakes. Bake in a preheated oven 350 degrees for 20-22 minutes. Cool completely and frost with Hershey's "Perfectly Chocolate" frosting.

Hershey's "Perfectly Chocolate" frosting:
1/4 C. butter
1/3 C. Cocoa (dutch processed or natural)
1 1/2 C. powdered sugar
3-4 Tbs. milk
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Melt butter and mix with cocoa. Add vanilla and then Alternately add sugar and milk until it is a spreadable consistency. Should frost 24 cupcakes with some leftover frosting.