Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Chip Frosting

Yield: ~12

Oven Temperature: 350℉

Time: ~10 min prep, ~14 min bake

Ingredients:

For the cupcakes:

• 3/4 c. granulated sugar
• 1/3 c. oil
• 1 egg
• 1/4 c. sour cream
• 1 tbsp. vanilla
• 1 c. flour
• 1/3 c. + 1 tbsp. cocoa powder*
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 c. hot water
• 1/2 c. semi-sweet mini chocolate chips

For the frosting:

• 6 tbsp. salted butter
• 6 oz. cream cheese
• 3 c. powdered sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
• 1-2 tsp. milk
• 1/3 c. semi-sweet mini chocolate chips, chopped

*I used 1/3 c. Hershey's unsweetened cocoa powder and 1 tbsp. Hershey's Special Dark cocoa powder.

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350℉ and line a twelve cup muffin pan with cupcake liners. 
2. In a medium sized mixing bowl beat together the sugar, oil, and egg. Add the sour cream and vanilla but don't mix it in yet. 
3. In a separate bowl sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Beat in the hot water. It would be better if you used boiling hot water but if you're too lazy you can just wait for tap water to get hot. 
4. Spoon the batter into the lined muffin tin and bake in the oven for 12-14 minutes or until a toothpick comes out of the center of a cupcake clean. DO NOT OVER BAKE. You can over bake them if you're into really dry cupcakes. Cool completely before frosting.
5. While waiting for the cupcakes to cool make the frosting by beating together the cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. Beat in the  powdered sugar and then mix in the vanilla and milk. I used on teaspoon of milk, but you might need more depending on the consistency you want your frosting to be. Fold in the chocolate chips.
6. Once the cupcakes are cool, pipe or spread the frosting onto the cupcakes and top with melted chocolate (optional) then eat.