Cacao cupcakes with buttercream frosting

As this blog finally moves a bit and receives more than 7 unique visitors a day - I'm gaining inspiration to post more of my recipes. Being a mad muffins and cupcakes lover I chosed to publish simple, but nice, girly looking chocolate cupcakes with butter cream frosting recipe. Of course, the decoration is not a piece of art, but at least it looks nice from first glance and tastes great (as my family anouced).

I had a dream of learning how to decorate those little cupcakes with various thingies such as litle bugs, pieces of grass, even shoes, hats and much more. Well, you know - those mini sugar sculptures they put on the cupcakes. But then, after few weak experiments I felt sad and decided to make tasty and not very perfect, but at least nice looking cakes, that has awesome taste and people are not affraid to destroy they look. So this is the easy, safe and pleasent way even for those who are starters in the kitchen. Grab all the products and surprise your kids of friends...

For cupcakes we will need (12 cakes):
125g butter (at room temperature)
1 cup of sugar
2 medium eggs (separated)
1/2 cup of milk
vanilla aroma
20g (2 tbspns) cacao powder (non sweet)
1 cup of regular flour
1 teaspoon of soda (or baking powder)

For frosting:
120g soft cream butter
1 1/2 cup of icing sugar
pinch of lemon acid
2 tablespoons of milk
food coloring
2 tablespoons of strawberry syrup
little candies for sprinkle (optional)

Mix soft butter with a sugar (can use blender), add egg yolks, vanilla aroma and cacao, mix everything till smooth. Pour in a half cup of milk, mix a bit, add soda, flours and mix pastry. Then prepare cupcakes (or muffins) pan - put paper bags into it, pour pastry inside, fill paper bags almost to the top. Preheat oven, add muffins and bake in 160C (320F) for about 35-40 minutes. Remember, you can always check are they ready by putting a wooden stick or fork - if it's not sticked with a pastry, when you take it off - your baked goodies are ready.

After removing cupcakes from oven, let them get cold. Prepare the butter cream - use blender (mixer) to mix soft butter with icing sugar, when yo get a smooth, nice looking "pastry" add milk, strawberry syrup, lemon acid and food color - mix everything again. Fill you decoration bag with cream and decorate cool cupcakes (do not put buttercream when they are warm). Sprinkle some small candies, if desired. Let them stay in a fridge for about an hour, take off and serve.