Yellow Cake Cupcakes with Chocolate Buttercream for Two are perfect for those times when you need just a little something sweet, and the batch doubles beautifully if you’re having a small dinner party for four. These can be whipped up in the same amount of time it takes to run to the bakery and pick up a couple cupcakes!
Celebrations in general and weddings in particular call for cake. It’s just one of those unwritten laws of the universe.
Today I’m joining in a virtual bridal shower for Meriem of Culinary Couture (shout out to Nora of A Clean Bake for organizing it!). The theme of our shower is “Made for Each Other” (cue the collective awwww! So cute, right?), and our recipes feature a delicious ingredient pairing. I knew I wanted cake to be involved (it just feels right) and I decided to deviate from my norm.
I used to be a strictly chocolate cake kind of girl, but delving headfirst into buttery yellow cake bliss like this has shown me the folly of my ways. The question was what kind of frosting to pair with yellow cake? For me, it had to be fudgy chocolate buttercream, no question.
I took it one step further with the wedding theme and made a recipe that makes just two darling little cupcakes. Because there are inevitably times when you and your honey want a fabulous cupcake without having an extra ten cupcakes lying around the house.
In addition to celebrating her wedding, this is also my gift to Meriem; I hope she gets much use out of it. (I know I will! Since developing this recipe, I’ve already made it twice, one time doubling the batch for a small dinner party and the other time because a craving for cupcakes hit hard.)
And here’s what everyone else is bringing to the party:
- Cheese and Charcuterie Board from Hall Nesting
- Chocolate Chip Banana Cupcakes from Blahnik Baker
- Mini Lemon Cheesecakes from What Jessica Baked Next
- Mocha Cupcakes from Baking a Moment
- Paleo Brookies from A Clean Bake
Congrats and lots of love to you and your hubby, Meriem!
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter or clarified butter (ghee), melted and cooled slightly (see Note)
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 tablespoons milk (whole or reduced-fat)
- 1 large egg yolk (I used Eggland's Best)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 small pinch ground mahlab (optional)
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 4 tablespoon powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon unsweetened natural cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 small pinch salt
- 1 small pinch espresso powder
- Milk, as needed to reach your desired consistency
- For the cupcakes, 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.
- When the cupcakes are cool, make the frosting. To do so, 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.
- Frost the cupcakes and serve.
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.
I’m Faith Gorsky, the writer, cook, and photographer behind An Edible Mosaic. My goal is to inspire you to get in the kitchen and try something new! Feel free to 
Lauren says
April 29, 2016 at 8:35 amThese cupcakes look delicious! When I was little yellow cake with chocolate frosting was my absolute favorite.
Citra Kale @Citra's Home Diary says
April 29, 2016 at 9:37 amI love you make it all from scratch. The cake looks moist and fluffy. and the chocolate buttercream absolutely my fave
Ashley - Forking Up says
April 29, 2016 at 10:15 amThis reminds me of the cupcakes parents would bring in for us for birthdays at school. So nostalgic for me :)
Marye says
April 29, 2016 at 10:30 amYou can never have too much chocolate, especially in fudgey buttercream form! These cupcakes look so yummy!
Meriem @ Culinary Couture says
April 29, 2016 at 10:32 amI was LITERALLY just thinking about making a batch of some classic buttery yellow cupcakes with chocolate buttercream. You read my mind! Thank you SO much for being part of my virtual shower; me and my hubby will definitely appreciate this recipe for many years to come! Aren’t I lucky his sweet tooth is just as big as mine? :-D
Becky Winkler (A Calculated Whisk) says
April 29, 2016 at 11:33 amThat yellow crumb looks irresistible!! Gorgeous photos, too.
Joanie @ ZagLeft says
April 29, 2016 at 12:35 pmI love smaller sized desserts – these look spectacular. sharing this one to my FB page!
Zainab says
April 29, 2016 at 5:08 pmOh gosh, I need a good yellow cake recipe. I can’t wait to try this beauty!!
Marissa says
May 1, 2016 at 7:22 pmThese look so yummy, Faith! And I love that they’re scaled down for two!
Kevin | Keviniscooking says
May 3, 2016 at 2:48 pmWhat a great little indulgence made for two! Oh, I need to share? Better double the batch for Dave :)
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
May 4, 2016 at 11:12 amThe texture and crumb of these looks absolutely perfect! Thank you so much for joining us for the shower, Faith. :)