Yellow Cupcakes with Chocolate Frosting

I have recovered from the cupcake disaster of yesterday and managed to pull together these cute little devils today. My sad, sad trifle seems so long ago...

These cupcakes start with my favorite from scratch yellow cake. I've modified it just slightly for cupcakes, and thanks to Cook's Illustrated, I've learned a new way to assemble homemade cakes that has give me some really nice results.

Yellow Cake

2 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter (2 sticks), room temperature
8 egg yolks, room temperature
3/4 cup milk, room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

Preheat oven to 350. Fill cupcake trays with liners (yield is 30 cupcakes). Combine dry ingredients in the bowl of a mixer fitted with whisk attachment. Add butter and mix until mixture resembles moist crumbs. Combine milk, egg, and vanilla in a separate bowl and mix lightly with a fork. Add all but 1/2 cup of liquids to mixer; let mixer run for 1 1/2 minutes, scraping sides of bowl once. Add remaining liquid, run mixer for an additional 30 seconds, again scraping once. Pour batter into prepared cupcake pans, filling no more than half full (Seriously. Half-full. These puff up a lot.). Bake for 18-20 minutes. Cool 4 or 5 minutes in cupcake pans then remove to cooling rack to cool completely.

Chocolate Frosting
2 oz (squares) unsweetened chocolate
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter
1 lb powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
3-4 tablespoons milk

Melt chocolate and butter over low heat. (I don't bother with the microwave because I never get good results microwaving chocolate to melt it.) Combine melted chocolate mixture with powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk. The exact quantity of milk will depend on your desired consistency. Remember: the secret to a delicious buttercream is "Just keep mixing...just keep mixing..."

Lastly, are you jealous of the super-cute flowers that I made? Not for long, because they are so easy! All you need is:

toothpicks
jelly beans
starbursts
crushed chocolate cookies
green sour straws (if you want your flowers to have stems showing. If not, trim an inch off of the bottom of the toothpick before garnishing your cupcakes)

Unwrap a starburst candy and microwave it for 6-9 seconds (8 was perfect for me). Roll it flat with a rolling pin. Poke a toothpick into a jelly bean, then poke the toothpick through the flattened starburst. Gather the candy around the jelly bean like a flower- like so:

For the calla lilies, I cut a round shape out of the flattened starburst with a cookie cutter, then folded it around the jelly bean instead of poking it through.

SO! To assemble the cupcakes at the top of this post:

Make cupcakes and let cool.
Assemble desired number of flowers.
Make chocolate frosting.
Crush chocolate cookies in a zippered bag. Transfer to plate.
Frost cupcake, then lightly dip it in crushed cookies.
Repeat 29 more times.
Garnish with flowers.
Revel in the glory.

Also, are you thinking, "Thanks for the awesome cake recipe. Now what shall I do with EIGHT EGG WHITES, PRAY TELL?" I have the answer- Tres Leches Cake. Stay tuned.