Yellow Cake Cupcakes with Fudgy Chocolate Buttercream for Two
Yellow Cupcakes with Chocolate Frosting for Two are moist with a buttery vanilla flavor and are perfect for when you need just a little something sweet!
Preheat the oven to 350F and line a cupcake tray with 2 paper liners.
Beat together the melted butter and sugar, and then beat in the milk, egg yolk, and vanilla. Sift in the flour, baking powder, salt, and mahlab (if using), and stir just to combine.
Pour into the 2 lined cupcake wells and bake until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 18 to 22 minutes.
Cool completely.
Chocolate Frosting:
When the cupcakes are cool, make the frosting. Beat together the butter, powdered sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla, salt, and espresso powder.
If the frosting needs to be thinned out, add milk in ½ teaspoon increments while beating until it reaches your desired consistency.
To Serve:
Frost the cooled cupcakes and top with sprinkles if desired.
Notes
Unsalted Butter or Clarified Butter: Clarified butter will yield a deeper yellow cake with a slightly denser crumb, but both will work here.
To Double This Recipe for 4 Servings: Everything is easy to double in this recipe except the egg; you can (of course) just use 2 large egg yolks, but this also works using 1 large egg for a double batch.