Cupcake day

I made so many cupcakes today I had to put an extra leaf in the table to hold them all.

Tried two different recipes, both came out really well, so I'll pass them along:

Amy Sedaris's Vanilla Cupcakes
1 1/2 sticks butter at room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 large eggs
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsps pure vanilla extract
2 1/2 tsps baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/4 cups milk

Preheat oven to 375. Mix, bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. The recipe is supposed to make 24, and Amy says she only gets 18, but I only got 16. Oh well.

When cool, frost with:
Amy's Buttercream
1 box powdered sugar
1 stick butter at room temperature
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup milk

If you want the richest, most decadent chocolate cupcakes, try this:

Brownie Cupcakes
4 sticks unsalted butter
8 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped fine
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp salt
3 3/4 cups sugar
8 eggs

Preheat the oven to 350.

Melt the butter and chocolate over medium-low heat. While that's happening, sift together the flour, baking powder, cocoa and salt into a large bowl. When the butter and chocolate are melted, remove from heat and whisk in the sugar. Add the eggs to the chocolate mixture one at a time, and beat until incorporated. Add that mixture to the flour mix, and beat on low with an electric mixer until just blended.

If you make mini-cupcakes, bake for 25-30 minutes. If you make large cupcakes, it's going to take closer to 45-50 minutes. Keep checking until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. The tops will get crunchy like brownies, and you can dust with powdered sugar or frost with this ultra-rich, devilish topping:

White Chocolate Frosting
6 ounces white chocolate, melted over a double boiler and cooled to room temperature
2 cups powdered sugar -- maybe a little more
1/4 cup milk
1 stick butter at room temperature
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp salt

Once the chocolate has cooled a bit, sift the sugar into a bowl and mix in the milk until smooth. Beat in the butter, vanilla and salt until the mixture is smooth and shiny. Beat in the chocolate. I added more powdered sugar to make it a thicker, frosting consistency. But it's not necessary -- it could be more like a glaze if you prefer.

Warning: These brownie cakes are not snacks. They are a serious dessert, and one is really rich enough for two people to share.