Our favorite cupcake ladies Katherine & Sophie, co-owners of “Georgetown Cupcakes,” share two scrumptious recipes with Closer readers that are perfect for the holiday season! You can’t beat these desserts!

And for more great recipes from the ladies, check out the new cookbook “TLC Kitchen: 120 Timeless Recipes From Our Family To Yours!”

Vanilla Chocolate-Chip Cupcakes with Vanilla Chocolate-Chip Buttercream (Photo above)

Makes 12 cupcakes

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
8 tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 3/4 cups sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
2 1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups whole milk, at room temperature
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

For frosting:

16 tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
4 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
1 tsp whole milk
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
A pinch of salt
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a standard cupcake pan with 12 paper baking cups, or grease the pan with butter if not using baking cups.

  2. Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt on a sheet of parchment paper or wax paper and set aside.

  3. In the bowl of a stand mixer or in a bowl with a handheld electric mixer, cream together the butter and sugar for 3 to 5 minutes, or until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing slowly after each addition. Add the vanilla extract to the milk in a large liquid measuring cup.

  4. Add one-third of the dry ingredients followed by the one-third of the milk, and mix thoroughly. Repeat. Add the last third of dry ingredients followed by the last third of milk. Mix slowly until fully incorporated. Add the 1/2 cup of chocolate chips and mix slowly until just incorporated.

  5. Scoop the batter into the cupcake pan using a standard-size ice-cream scoop until the cups are two-thirds full, and bake for 16 to 18 minutes (start checking at 15 minutes) or until a toothpick comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool completely.

For the frosting: Combine all of the ingredients except for the chocolate chips in a mixer and whip together at high speed until light and airy, approximately 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer into a large piping bag with large round tip and frost each cupcake was a signature swirl. Add some chocolate chips, serve and enjoy!

Chocolate Toffee-Crunch Cupcakes with Vanilla Toffee-Crunch Frosting

cupcakes

Makes 12 cupcakes

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
8 tbsp unsalted butter
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 cup milk
1/2 cup crushed toffee candy-bar pieces
1/2 cup sifted cocoa powder

For frosting:

4 tbsp unsalted butter
4 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract
6 oz. cream cheese
1 cup crushed toffee candy-bar pieces

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a cupcake pan with 12 paper baking cups, and a second pan with six baking cups.

  2. Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt in a bowl, and set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer or in a bowl with a handheld electric mixer, cream together the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, approximately 3 to 5 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing slowly after each addition. Combine the vanilla and milk in a large liquid measuring cup.

  3. Add one-third of the flour mixture to the butter mixture, then gradually add one-third of the milk mixture, beating slowly until well incorporated. Add another third of the flour mixture, followed by another third of the milk mixture. Stop to scrape down the bowl as needed. Add the remaining flour mixture, followed by the remaining milk mixture, and beat just until combined. Add the cocoa powder, beating on low speed just until incorporated.

  4. Add the 1/2 cup of crushed toffee candy-bar pieces and mix until just combined. Using a standard-size ice cream scoop, fill each baking cup so that it is two-thirds full. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes (start checking at 15 minutes) or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Transfer the pans to a wire rack to cool completely.

For the frosting: In the bowl of a stand mixer or in a bowl with a handheld electric mixer, mix all the ingredients except for the crushed toffee candy-bar pieces for approximately 3 to 5 minutes, until the frosting is light and airy.

Transfer the frosting to a plastic piping bag fitted with a round metal tip and frost each cupcake with a signature swirl. Garnish with a spoonful of crushed toffee candy-bar pieces, serve and enjoy!