A Second Helping of Cupcakes

So the last batch of cupcakes were a big hit. Mike especially liked them. He was very sad when I told him that I gave the last of them away to my parents to try. So on his request, I went to work on another batch of cupcakes. I didn't have all of the ingredients for the Black Bottom Cupcakes, so I settled on making homemade dingdongs. Dingdong is the name I lovingly refer to Mike as when he inevitably forgets or loses something, so I told him it was a perfect name for a dessert requested by him.

So here they are:

Homemade Ding Dongs


(No, they're not perfect round and shiny like the store bought ones, but I like to think that mine have character.)

Batter:
3 c. flour
2 c. sugar
1/3 c. cocoa powder
2 t. baking soda
1 t. salt
2 eggs
1 c. milk
1 c. water
1 c. veggie oil
1 t. vanilla

Filling: (
1/4 c. butter
1/4 c. shortening
2 c. powdered sugar
1 pinch of salt
3 T milk
1/2 t. vanilla

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large bowl, mix flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda and salt. Add milk, eggs, water, oil, and vanilla. Mix well. Fill muffin liners 1/2 way full. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Allow to cool.

Make the filling while the cupcakes cool. Beat butter and shortening until smooth. Blend in powdered sugar and a pinch of salt. Gradually beat in 1/2 t. vanilla and 3 T milk. Beat until light and fluffy. Fill pastry bag with filling. Push pastry tip through bottom of cupcake liners and inject filling. Fill until the cupcake begins to bulge.

A side note, I didn't have a fancy pastry bag, so I used a ziplock bag. I also didn't have a fancy pastry bag tip, so I rammed a cooking thermometer in the bottom of the cupcakes, wiggled it around a little, removed it, then shoved the end of the ziplock bag into the little opening. Be careful not to squeeze your Ziplock bag too hard or else it will bust all and you will have filling up to your elbows. Also, don't fill the cupcakes with too much filling, or the top will explode with goo like a tiny volcano made of cake. Which would actually be kind of cool. Over fill if you dare.