Halloween Cupcakes!

so we're in! i have a kitchen again! and how better to bring a kitchen to life than to whip up a batch of halloween party cupcakes? This is my usual chocolate cupcake recipe and normally I would pair that with non other than a delish chocolate icing. alas halloween demands orange and black, so there is noway around it - i had to create a vanilla buttercream and forge on with the orange dye. and be the OCD baker i am - threw in real vanilla bean. to me the beans are a must, you can't beat the distinctly authentic and fresh flavor of the freshly scraped little beans. but if you don't feel up to trucking out to the store and spending $10 for the beans (i get mine in bulk for much less, juts for the record) then go ahead and just omit; but be aware beans make it better ;).

HALLOWEEN CUPCAKES

Chocolate Cupcakes:

1c AP flour

1c sugar

1/2c cocoa powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2c buttermilk

1/4c oil

1 egg

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/2c coffee

*preheat oven to 350F, line muffin pan

*sift together the flour, sugar, soda, baking powder, cocoa & salt

*on separate bowl combine buttermilk, oil, egg and vanilla

*stir in buttermilk mixture into dry mix

*pour in coffee, mix to combine

*fill muffin pans and cook for 20 minutes until toothpick is clean

Vanilla Bean Buttercream:

2oz butter, room temp

1c powdered sugar

1/4 vanilla bean, split in half and beans scraped

1/2tsp vanilla extract

1 1/2 tsp milk

*cream butter until light and fluffy

*add in half of the powdered sugar

*add vanilla bean, extract and milk. beat to combine

*add remaining sugar to desired consistency then beat in food dye