Chocolate Cupcakes

This recipe takes me back to my school days, when my mom packed my lunches. I also made these for my kids’ lunches even though sometimes they used them as valuable trading food for fruit roll ups and snacks I deprived them of. The icing hardens enough so that you can wrap them with plastic wrap and it doesn’t stick to it. I like them because they don't fall apart like the chocolate cake mix cupcakes and the first ingredients is not sugar. . . well looking at it now, it's listed first on the recipe but . . . you know what I mean.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2/3 cup oil
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 3 heaping tablespoons cocoa
• ½ teaspoon salt

1. Whisk sugar and eggs well, gradually beating in the oil, then the buttermilk and vanilla. 
2. Stir in combined dry ingredients. 
3. Fill paper-lined muffin tins 3/4 full. Makes 12 large or 18 medium sized cupcakes. 
4. Bake at 350° F for 20 min. Remove from muffin trays and cool on wire rack. Ice with chocolate icing once cooled.

Chocolate Icing:
Mix 1 1/2 cups icing sugar with 2 tablespoons soft margarine, 1 tablespoon cocoa and enough milk (maybe 4 tablespoons) to make a spread-able consistency. Sprinkle with chocolate or colored sprinkles. Freeze in air tight container once the icing has dried.