Chocolate Buttermilk Cupcakes

Since I had made homemade butter a while back, I had some buttermilk left over. After making buttermilk pancakes for The Good Baby, I decided I had to come up with another use of buttermilk.

It was then I realized that Martha Stewart can read my mind. Ok, maybe not Martha herself, but the folks that control her email do. Just as I was thinking what to do with all the buttermilk I had (Fired chicken? No. Biscuits? No. ) I get an email from MS & Co. about the "best cupcakes".

And lo, there was a use for my buttermilk.


Ingredients:
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder, preferably Dutch-process
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
6 tablespoons buttermilk
1 large egg
1 large egg white
Light Cream-Cheese Icing

Directions:
~Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line standard 12-cup muffin tin (or two 6-cup muffin tins) with paper liners. In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

~With an electric mixer, combine cocoa and 3 tablespoons hot water until a thick paste forms (this process intensifies the chocolate flavor). Add butter, buttermilk, egg, and egg white; beat until combined. Whisk in flour mixture until smooth.

~Scoop (or spoon) batter into prepared tin(s). Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Transfer cupcakes to a wire rack to cool completely.

~Use an offset spatula or butter knife to spread icing over tops. Decorate as desired.

recipe by: Martha Stewart