Chocolate Cupcakes

½ cup sugar
½ cup packed brown sugar
¼ cup plus 2 T unsweetened cocoa powder
¾ cup flour
1 tsp baking soda
½ baking powder
½ tsp salt
1 egg
½ cup buttermilk
½ cup butter, melted
½ tsp vanilla
½ cup boiling water

Heat oven to 350°.  Line muffin tin with baking cups.
Combine sugars, cocoa, flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a large bowl.  Add egg, buttermilk, butter and vanilla and combine.  Add water and beat on medium speed for 2 minutes.  The batter will be thin.  Fill cups ¾  full with batter.
Bake 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.  Cool completely and decorate as desired.

            Chocolate Frosting

½ cup melted butter
¼ cup plus 2 T unsweetened cocoa powder
1 pound powdered sugar
¼ cup plus 2 T cream
1 tsp vanilla

Beat the ingredients together on medium speed until light and fluffy.

            Buttercream Frosting

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1/8 tsp salt
3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
4-6 T cream, more or less as needed
1 ½ tsp vanilla

Beat butter until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute.  Add powdered sugar to butter.  Beat on low speed until combined, then on medium-high speed for a full minute.  Add vanilla.  Reduce speed, add cream 1 T at a time, beating well after each addition, until desired consistency is reached.  Beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy.

For Chocolate Buttercream Frosting add 1/3-1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, to taste, and additional cream as needed.