Tea Party Recipes: Fresh Ginger Tea

From the Editors of Traditional Home

Petite Chocolate Cupcakes
1	cup all-purpose flour
1/3	cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2	teaspoon baking soda
1/4	teaspoon baking powder
1/4	teaspoon salt
1/3	cup butter, softened
1	cup sugar
1	egg
1	teaspoon vanilla
3/4	cup milk
	Chocolate Butter Frosting
	Small chocolate pirouette cookies (optional)

1.	Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and lightly flour 48 1 3/4-inch muffin cups, or line with paper baking cups; set aside. In a medium bowl stir together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
2.	In a large mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Gradually add sugar, beating on medium speed until well combined. Add egg and vanilla; beat until combined.
3.	Alternately add flour mixture and milk to butter mixture, beating on low speed just until combined after each addition. Beat on medium to high speed for 20 seconds more.
4.	Spoon about 1 rounded measuring teaspoon of the batter into each prepared muffin cup. Bake in the preheated oven about 12 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in muffin cups on wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove cakes from muffin cups and cool completely on a wire rack (about 30 minutes).
5.	Frost or pipe Chocolate Butter Frosting on each cupcake. Add a pirouette cookie to each, if desired. Makes about 48 cakes.

	Chocolate Butter Frosting: Beat 3/4 cup butter (no substitutes), softened, in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Beat in 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder and 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla. Gradually add 3 3/4 cups sifted powdered sugar and 2 tablespoons milk until smooth. If necessary, beat in additional milk until spreadable. Makes about 2 cups.

Next Recipe: Chocolate-Dipped Fruits

Return to Steeped in Tradition