Double Chocolate Cupcakes with Whipped Vanilla Frosting

I promise I do have lots of recipes and ideas for Japanese food to blog about, but my kids have been hanging out for some familiar comfort food since we got home. With the exception of the second last night in Tokyo Bay where they ordered a humongous classic burger and a monster bowl of spaghetti Bolognese from room service late one night, they happily ate Japanese food for every meal, including rice, fish, tofu and pickles for breakfast. So since we got home on Friday, I've made burgers, spaghetti marinara (they are favourites of favourites), fajitas, meatballs and they've eaten pork ribs at The Waterfront Restaurant (NOTE: I had the assorted sashimi) and, of course, these delectable, tender-crumbed Double Chocolate Cupcakes with the most divine Whipped Vanilla Frosting. It sucks to be them.

Double Chocolate Cupcakes with Whipped Vanilla Frosting
Makes 18

For the Cupcakes:
adapted from here
1 cup dark chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup full cream milk
3/4 cup plain flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1 cup caster sugar
1/2 teaspoon sea salt flakes or pink Himalaya salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 eggs
1/2 cup Greek yoghurt
1/2 cup sunflower oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

For the Frosting:
adapted from here
115g unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup caster sugar
1/2 cup full cream milk
2 1/2tablespoons sifted plain flour
1 tablespoons vanilla extract

Make the Cupcakes:
Preheat the oven to 180C. Line 2 x 12 hole cupcake pans with 18 paper liners. Set aside.

Put the chopped chocolate and milk into a small pan and gently heat over low heat, stirring until melted and smooth. Be careful not to overheat. Set aside.

In a bowl, combine the flour, cocoa, sugar, salt and baking soda. Stir to mix. Set aside

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the eggs, yoghurt, oil and vanilla for about 1 minute. Slowly add the melted chocolate and then the dry ingredients. Mix on low for a further minute to combine.

Fill the cupcake liners until half full and bake for 15 - 17 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the middle of a cupcake comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack and leave to cool completely.

Make the Frosting:

Put the milk and flour into a small saucepan and whisk. Put it over a medium heat and whisk until it is thick and smooth. Set aside to cool completely.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter until smooth, then add the sugar and beat for 5 - 7 minutes until fluffy and pale.

Add the milk/flour mixture and vanilla to the butter mixture and beat on medium-high until whipped and creamy.

Frost the cooled cupcakes liberally.