Chocolate Cupcakes with Easy Vanilla Buttercream

This recipe I didn't care for. It had brown sugar and coffee granules in it. Not bad but not great.

The frosting was easy and delicious. I used a closed star tip (#5) from my Williams Sonoma Mechanical Pastry Bag set. A gift from my darling sister-in-law.

Easy Vanilla Buttercream from Cook's Illustrated

Makes 1 1/2 cups, enough for 12 cupcakes. Published March 1, 2005.

This can be made ahead and refrigerated; if refrigerated, however, it must stand at room temperature to soften before use. If using a hand-held mixer (which I did), increase mixing times significantly (at least 50 percent). This recipe can be doubled to make enough for a two-layer cake.

Ingredients
10 tablespoons unsalted butter , softened
1 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar (5 ounces)
Pinch table salt
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon heavy cream

Instructions
In standing mixer fitted with whisk attachment, beat butter at medium-high speed until smooth, about 20 seconds. Add confectioners' sugar and salt; beat at medium-low speed until most of the sugar is moistened, about 45 seconds. Scrape down bowl and beat at medium speed until mixture is fully combined, about 15 seconds; scrape bowl, add vanilla and heavy cream, and beat at medium speed until incorporated, about 10 seconds, then increase speed to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes, scraping down bowl once or twice.