In Blooming Into Life, chocolate cupcakes become a special family tradition. Mary Ann teaches her niece, Kirby, how to make them, passing down both a recipe and a bit of family love. By the end of the story, Kirby shares the same recipe with Mary Ann’s granddaughters, continuing the tradition across generations. This chocolate cupcake recipe is my go-to for cakes and cupcakes alike, adapted from Ina Garten’s Aunt Beatty’s Chocolate Cake recipe. The result is always moist, rich, and perfect for any occasion.

Ingredients

• 24 cupcake liners
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 3/4 cups cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Mix the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment until combined. In another bowl, combine the buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, add the wet ingredients to the dry ones.
2. With an ice cream scooper, fill each cupcake line 3/4 of the way to the top and bake 25 to 30 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely.

Chocolate Ganache Frosting (shown in the photo): this basic chocolate ganache frosting hardens slightly, similar to a Hostess cupcake, uses just two ingredients: chocolate and heavy cream. Here’s a simple recipe for it:

Ingredients

• 8 oz (about 1 1/3 cups) semi-sweet or dark chocolate, chopped
• 1/2 cup heavy cream

 Instructions

1. In a small saucepan, heat the heavy cream over medium heat until it begins to simmer. Do not let it boil.
2. Place the chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let it sit for 2-3 minutes to allow the chocolate to soften.
3. Gently whisk the mixture until smooth and glossy.
4. Let the ganache cool slightly. For a Hostess-style finish, it should be thick enough to spread but still pourable.
5. Dip or spread the ganache over the cupcakes. As it cools, it will set to a smooth, slightly firm finish.

This ganache will harden a bit on the surface while remaining soft underneath, mimicking the signature texture of a Hostess cupcake.

4th of July Frosting from Blooming Into Life

Ingredients

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
• 2-3 tablespoons heavy cream or whole milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Blue gel food coloring (preferably royal blue or navy blue)
• Red gel food coloring

Use a concentrated gel food coloring, which requires less to achieve a rich color without thinning out the frosting.

Instructions

1. In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the softened butter on medium speed until creamy and smooth, about 2-3 minutes. Gradually add the sifted powdered sugar to the butter, about 1/2 cup at a time, mixing on low speed until incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
2. Add 2 tablespoons of heavy cream or milk and the vanilla extract to the mixture. Mix on low speed until combined. Increase the mixer speed to medium-high and beat the frosting for 3-4 minutes until light and fluffy. If the frosting seems too thick, add the remaining tablespoon of cream or milk and mix until combined.
3. Divide the frosting in half.
4. Add few drops of gel food coloring at a time to each half, mixing until you achieve the desired shade of red and blue. Once shade is achieved, mix each frosting on high for 1-2 minutes until light and fluffy.