Ingredients
Scale
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour (350g)
- 2 ¼ cups granulated sugar (450g)
- 1 ¼ cup cocoa powder (100g)
- 1 tsp baking soda (5g)
- ¾ tsp salt (4g)
- 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks/250g; softened)
- 4 large eggs (at room temperature)
- 1 ½ cups buttermilk (350mL)
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 8 ounces cream cheese (one package; softened)
- 1 cup unsalted butter (two sticks; softened)
- 5 ½ – 6 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons frosting whitener (optional)
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup Rainbow jimmies sprinkles (optional)
- Gel coloring of your choice (optional)
- 24 mini Reese’s cups or Rolos (or any small cylindrical chocolate candy)
- 24 chocolate squares (Ghiradelli or chocolate of your choice)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350℉ (180℃) and line cupcake pans with colorful liners.
- Mix dry ingredients: flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Add softened butter and mix until crumbly.
- Combine wet ingredients: whisk eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla, then mix into dry ingredients.
- Fill cupcake liners â…” full and bake for 20-25 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool cupcakes on a wire rack completely before frosting.
- Beat cream cheese and butter for frosting until smooth, then add powdered sugar gradually.
- Reserve some frosting for coloring and mix in the remainder of powdered sugar.
- Frost cooled cupcakes generously with cream cheese buttercream.
- Decorate with colored frosting and chocolate hat toppers.
Notes
Use room temperature ingredients for better mixing.
Cool cupcakes completely before frosting to avoid melting.
Experiment with colors to match themes or school colors.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 25g
- Sodium: 220mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 42g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 45mg