Bewitched cupcakes

These adorable chocolate cupcakes with cream cheese icing are the perfect treat to make for a Halloween party or play date.

Start to finish: 1 hour (40 minutes active)
Servings: 12 cupcakes

Ingredients
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs, room temperature
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup buttermilk, room temperature
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 8 ounces cream cheese
• 4 cups icing sugar
• 1 teaspoon orange gel food coloring

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Place cupcake liners in each cup of a 12-cup muffin tin.
2. In a large bowl, mix the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Set aside. In a second bowl, mix the eggs, sugar, brown sugar, oil, and 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract.
3. Incorporate half of the wet ingredients with the dry ingredients and mix well. Add half of the buttermilk and mix well. Add the rest of the wet ingredients and buttermilk, and mix well.
4. Pour the mixture into each muffin tin cup to fill them halfway. Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of a cupcake comes out clean.
5. In the meantime, use a beater to mix the butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add the rest of the salt and vanilla, and mix well. Use the beater at a low speed to slowly incorporate the icing sugar until the mixture is smooth. Add the food coloring and mix until the icing is a uniform orange.
6. Let the cupcakes cool completely, then use a piping bag to ice them. Decorate with candies or small Halloween-themed cookies.

To ensure the icing has a vibrant color, use a gel rather than a liquid food dye.