Magnolia Bakery Cupcakes

Magnolia Bakery Cupcakes

2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
4 large eggs
6 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
FROSTING:
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
6-8 cups of confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2) Line your muffin tins with cupcake papers. This recipe makes roughly 2 dozen cupcakes
3) In a small bowl, sift together the flour and baking soda and set aside
4) Melting the chocolate. [LAUREN SAYS] You'll need some double boiler action to do this. But, if like me, you have no double boiler, one can be created very easily. Find a small pot and a small heat resistent bowl that will nest easily into the pot. Fill the pot with just enough water so that when the bowl is nesting in the pot, the water doesn't splash out. Put the water on to boil. Put the 6 ounces of unsweetened chocolate into the bowl. Once the water is boiling, put the bowl of chocolate in the pot to melt the chocolate. Turn down the heat on the water so it's just simmering (if you leave it on a full boil, hot water will go everywhere). Stir the chocolate until it's totally melted. Set the bowl of melted chocolate aside to cool to room temperature. EDIT: you don't actually need a double boiler. I called my mum, the master of all chefs, to confirm this. What you can do, if you are super lazy, is put the chocolate in a glass container (like a glass liquid measure) and microwave it for about 1 1/2 minutes. It won't look like it is melted, but you just need to stir it. Works like a charm.
5) In a large bowl, cream the butter until smooth. Add the granulated and light brown sugar and beat until fluffy. Add the eggs 2 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the chocolate, mixing until well blended. Add the sifted flour/baking soda mixture in small doses, alternating with the buttermilk and vanilla. Mix until batter is well blended and smooth.
6) Spoon the batter into the cupcake liners, filling until roughly 3/4 full
7) Bake for 20-25 minutes, checking periodically to make sure they don't burn. The cupcakes are done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
8.)Remove the cupcakes from the tins to cool.
Once all the cupcakes are cool, it's time for the best part, the frosting!
FROSTING:
EDIT: to avoid clumps in the frosting, make sure the butter is super room temperature. I left mine out while I made the cupcakes themselves and cleaned up the mess.
Put the butter in a large bowl, add 4 cups of the sugar, then the milk and vanilla and beat until smooth and creamy. Gradually add the remaining sugar, one cup at a time, until the frosting gets to a decent consistency for spreading (you don't want it too runny or too thick).
Add some food coloring to you're frosting if you are so inclined. Be generous with the frosting, nobody likes a frosting miser.You're all done!
Makes about 2-2 1/2 dozen!