Chocolate Cupcakes with a Decadent Cream Cheese Frosting

I don't know which I like better on these cupcakes:  the frosting or the chocolate cake. The combination of the two is compelling.

Chocolate Cupcakes:

2 cups sugar
1 3/4 cups flour
3/4 cup Hershey's cocoa
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 c. vegetable oil
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake pans with liners.

Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water. (Batter will be thin). Pour batter into cupcake liners. DO NOT FILL MORE THAN HALF FULL. This rises up high.

Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.

These make a TON of cupcakes -- like 2 - 3 dozen or more.


Frosting:
(You may need to double the frosting or half the cupcake recipe to make all cupcakes frosted)


8 ounces (2 sticks) butter, room temperature
12 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
4 cups confectioners's sugar, sifted
3/4 teaspoon vanilla

Whip all up together with a mixer and top your cupcakes.