Fastest Fudge Cake or Cupcakes

This is very quick & delicious! You know when you remember something when you are just falling asleep at night? Well I remembered I said I would make cupcakes for my daughter's Father-Daughter girl scout dance, so before I left for work the next morning I whipped up these! Took me 10 minutes to mix up! And they are so yummy. And then frost them with the "fast fudge frosting". Chocolately delicious!

• Ready In: 50 mins
• Serves: 8-10
• Yields: 13 muffins

Ingredients

• 1  cup all-purpose flour
• 6  tablespoons  unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1⁄2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 8  tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (1 stick)
• 1 1⁄4 cups brown sugar (packed)
• 2  eggs
• 1  teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1⁄2 cup hot water

• FAST FUDGE FROSTING INGREDIENTS

• 5  tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3⁄4 cup sugar
• 2⁄3 cup  unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1⁄8 teaspoon salt (or less, just a pinch)
• 3⁄4 cup heavy cream (or 1/2 cup evaporated skim milk)
• 1  teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1. Grease a 8-inch square or 9-inch round pan or put 12 cupcake papers in a cupcake pan and one extra in a custard cup.
2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
3. To make the cake, whisk the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt together. Sift only if the cocoa remains lumpy, set aside. (I sifted it through a fine strainer as I combined it with the wet ingredients in step 5).
4. In a large bowl, combine the warm melted butter and brown sugar. Add the eggs and vanilla and stir until well blended.
5. Add all of the flour mixture at once.
6. Using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon - stir only until all the flour is moistened.
7. Pour the hot water over the batter all at once.
8. Stir only until the water is incorporated and the batter is smooth.
9. Scrape the batter into the pan (or cupcakes - to do that efficiently I scrape the batter into a 4 cup measuring cup and then easily pour it into the cupcake liners.
10. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Cake - 25 to 30 minutes, cupcakes 17 - 22 minutes. Cool the cake in the pan on a rack for about 10 minutes before unmolding. To unmold, slide a slim knife around the edges of the cake to release it from the pan. Invert the cake. Turn the cake right side up and cool completely on a rack before frosting the top and sides. Or cool the cake in the pan and frost only the top. Cupcakes can cool in the pan and remove & frost when cool.
11. While the cake cooks, make the FAST FUDGE FROSTING:.
12. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter.
13. Stir in the sugar, cocoa, and salt.
14. Gradually stir in the cream.
15. Heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture is smooth and hot but not boiling.
16. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla.
17. Cool until thickened to the consistency of frosting(takes a while at room temp - try putting in fridge to speed up, but watch it!) or use as a warm glaze or sauce.
18. Store leftover frosting in the refrigerator.
19. Rewarm gently in the microwave before using.