Chocolate Buttermilk Cupcakes With Boiled Icing

Directions

1. Two 12-cavity muffin pans with nine cavities in each lined with paper muffin liners.
2. Set a rack in the middle level of the oven and preheat it to 350 degrees.
3. In a small bowl, stir together the flour, baking pwdr and salt. Beat the butter and sugar together with an electric mixer set at medium speed.
4. Continue beating till light, about 5 min. Beat in the chocolate and continue beating till smooth. Scrape bowl and beaters and beat in the Large eggs. Continue beating till creamy and smooth, another minute or possibly two. By hand, with a rubber spatula, stir in half the flour mix, making sure to scrape the sides of the bowl well. Stir in the lowfat milk and vanilla, then the remaining flour mix. Divide the batter proportionately among the 18 lined cavities in the pans, filling them about 3/4 full. Bake the cupcakes about 20 min, till well risen and hard to the touch, or possibly till a toothpick or possibly knife inserted in the center of one of the cupcakes emerges clean. Cold the cupcakes in the pan briefly, then lift them from the pan to a rack to cold completely.
5. For the icing, combine all ingredients in the bowl of an electric mixer and place over a pan of simmering water. Whisk gently till egg whites are warm and sugar is dissolved. Place on mixer with whip and beat till cooled and risen in volume.
6. To finish the cupcakes, spread a spoonful of the frosting on each, swirling it with a small spatula
7. or possibly back of a soup spoon. top the icing with a healthy pinch of shaved chocolate.
8. Yield: 18 standard cupcakes