vanilla-chocolate cupcakes

Things I am currently loving:

* My apartment and its new name, Worthington upon the Banks. (Yes, Williamsburg and the English countryside are quite similar)

* The sunny and beautiful weather today

* My recent running habits (I can run! Far! Well, farther than before)

* New York Fashion Week starts soon. I can't wait to distract myself with pictures upon pictures of clothes for spring!

* The prospect of picking out a new coffee at TJ's, now that I've finished mine off

* The frosting still left over from these beautiful cupcakes I made last week:

After a bit of a love affair with Martha Stewart's basic yellow cake recipe(so fluffy! so good!), I finally decided to try the much talked about Vanilla Cupcake recipe from Amy Sedaris. I've heard it's the best cupcake recipe out there...and I've also heard they are dense and dull. My verdict? Pretty good. But I like Martha better. Nonetheless, these cupcakes were pretty awesome. I love love chocolate, but vanilla cupcakes with chocolate frosting is the way to go. No matter how many cupcake options there are, v/c is always my choice. It's the best.

Vanilla Cupcakes
from Amy Sedaris' I Like You: Hospitality Under the Influence

"1 ½ sticks of unsalted butter
1 ¾ cups of sugar

Beat well, then add:

Add 2 large eggs
2 Teaspoons of pure vanilla
½ teaspoon of salt
2 ½ teaspoons of baking powder
2 ½ cups of flour
1 ¼ cups of milk

Beat well, fill cups, and bake at 375 degrees for 18-20 minutes. You should get 24. I get 18, 'cause I'm doing something wrong. " (I got 21. Apparently I'm also doing something wrong)

I used the chocolate swiss meringue buttercream I used for the Dobos and they turned out awesome. Also awesome? The extra buttercream that I saved to snack on. Frosting for breakfast, anyone?

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
from Martha Stewart (I used half the recipe and had plenty--I've halved it below)

1 cup sugar
3 egg whites
1 1/4 sticks unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
8 ounces dark chocolate, melted and cooled slightly

Place sugar and egg whites in a heatproof bowl, set over simmering water. Whisk constantly till the mixture is heated and the sugar dissolves. Remove from heat. Using electric mixture, whip until cool and stiff peaks form. With the mixer running, add butter one piece at a time, until completely incorporated. Continue whisking until a light, fluffy cream has formed. Fold in chocolate until well combined.