MINI BIRTHDAY CUPCAKES

MINI BIRTHDAY CUPCAKES

Ingredients:
•2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
•2 1/4 cups sugar
•1 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
•2 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
•1 teaspoon baking powder
•Salt
•3 large eggs
•1 cup plus 2 tablespoons warm water
•1 cup plus 2 tablespoons low-fat buttermilk
•1/4 cup plus 11/2 teaspoons safflower oil
•11/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Directions:
-Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line mini muffin tins with baking cups. Sift flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and 1 teaspoon salt into a large bowl. Mix in eggs, warm water, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla, scraping down sides of bowl, until smooth, about 3 minutes.

-Working in batches, divide batter evenly among cups, filling each two-thirds full. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until tops spring back when pressed with a finger, about 20 minutes. Let cupcakes cool completely on a wire rack.

-Using a pastry bag fitted with a fine star tip, pipe buttercream onto cupcakes to decorate.