Cake Walk Cupcakes

When I think of elementary school cake walks, I think of cupcakes with sprinkles and a lot of frosting.

I also remember that I "wasn't supposed to eat cupcakes made by someone I didn't know". Which meant that most of the time, I didn't even get near them. But those sprinkles, those heaps of frosting... Translated into sugar content, though, I understand how looking at them from afar can be better. But still, the multicolored sprinkles on those cupcakes seemed better than anything. 

For some reason, I have always had a thing for sprinkles--it all started the day my maman and I ended up at the O'Hare Hilton because of a delayed flight. I may have been 5 years old, but I can still picture the donut I ate the next morning. I can't quite remember the taste, but the sprinkles covering the top of it definitely had an impact on my future tastes.

When I found a recipe for sour-cream chocolate cupcakes, I was curious as to whether or not I could transform them into the cupcakes of my cake-walk dreams. I bought some reduced fat sour cream, hoping it would work out just as fine--and it did. The cupcakes were really easy to make, the recipe was very easy to follow, and for once my frosting came out just fine. 

After topping the cake with an ice cream scoop-worth of frosting, I brought out my special sprinkle box. 

It has daisies, hearts, butterflies, and wildflowers--I think the end result is pretty cute.

Even better than those cupcakes from the "unknown parents".

Sour Cream Chocolate Cupcakes - makes about 14

1/2 cup boiling water

1/4 cup butter

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup cocoa powder

1 1/2 cup flour

1 egg

1/2 cup sour cream (I used 3%)

1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Combine water, butter, sugar, cocoa. Beat until sugar is dissolved.

Add dry ingredients, alternating with egg, sour cream, and vanilla extract. 

Fill cupcake cups about half full and bake for 20 to 25 minutes at 350°F.

Chocolate Sour Cream Frosting

1 cup chocolate chunks

1/4 cup butter

1/2 cup sour cream

1 tsp vanilla

1/4 tsp salt

2 cups confectioner's sugar

Melt chocolate, stir in butter, sour cream, vanilla and salt. Slowly add confectioner's sugar until achieving desired consistency.