Ingredients
| 2 1/2 | cups unsifted flour |
| 2 1/2 | cups sugar, divided |
| 1 | teaspoon baking powder |
| 1/3 | cup cocoa |
| 1/2 | teaspoon plus a pinch of salt, divided |
| 2 | teaspoons baking soda |
| 1 | cup hot tap water |
| 2 | eggs, slightly stirred |
| 1 | cup coconut oil, melted |
| 1 | cup buttermilk |
| 2 | teaspoons vanilla, divided |
| 1/3 | cup whole milk |
| 1 | cup butter, softened, divided |
| 1 | tablespoon water |
| 4 1/4 | cups powdered sugar, divided |
| 2 | egg whites, stiffly beaten |
| 1/2 | teaspoon almond, orange or hazelnut extract |
Instructions
Sift together flour, 2 cups sugar, baking powder, cocoa and ¼ teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Dissolve baking soda in hot
water. Then, in a separate bowl, mix dissolved baking soda together with eggs, coconut oil, buttermilk and 1 teaspoon
vanilla. You may substitute the buttermilk with 1 cup whole milk mixed with 1 teaspoon white vinegar. Pour batter into paper-lined muffin tins, filling 2/3 full. Bake at 350 degrees F for 20 minutes. Cool completely before filling cupcake centers.
For filling, mix ½ cup sugar, whole milk, ²/³ cup butter, ¼ teaspoon salt, water and ½ teaspoon vanilla. Beat for 7 minutes or until very smooth. Add ¾ cup powdered sugar and beat 3-5 more minutes. Stuff the filling into a cake decorator tube and fill each cupcake in the center until you are just able to see the filling peek out. Take a frosting knife and scrape off any excess filling.
For frosting, cream together 1¾ cups powdered sugar and ¹/³ cup butter. Add the beaten egg whites remaining, 1¾ cups
powdered sugar, pinch of salt, ½ teaspoon vanilla and either almond, orange, hazelnut or any preferred flavor. Beat until
smooth. Use a frosting decorator or knife to frost the cupcakes.
Store in refrigerator. Keeps well for two to three days or longer in a freezer. Makes 12-18 cupcakes
