1 cup sugar

⅓ cup brown sugar

⅓ cup cocoa powder

1 egg

⅓ cup butter, melted

1 cup buttermilk

½ cup brewed coffee

2 teaspoons vanilla

2-¼ cups flour

½ teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 24 muffin cups with paper liners and set aside. In large mixing bowl, combine sugar, brown sugar, cocoa powder, egg, butter, buttermilk, coffee, and vanilla and mix well until smooth.

2. Sift together flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder and add all at once to sugar mixture. Stir with a wire whisk until batter is smooth. Using a ¼ cup measure, pour batter into prepared muffin cups. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until cakes spring back when lightly touched in center. Cool in pans for 5 minutes, then remove to wire racks to cool completely. Frost with Buttercream Frosting (page 295) or sprinkle with powdered sugar.

YIELDS 24 CUPCAKES

Using cocoa powder instead of chocolate not only reduces the saturated fat content, but makes cupcakes that are velvety and smooth.

Decorating Cupcakes

It's fun to decorate cupcakes; let your imagination run wild. You can place a doily on the top and sift powdered sugar over; carefully remove the doily for a lacy design. Frost cupcakes with just about any frosting; decorate with sprinkles or add chopped candies. For a fun birthday-party theme, top each frosted cupcake with an animal cracker.