Cupcake Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a standard muffin tin with 12 paper liners.
2. In a large bowl, combine boiling water, espresso powder, and black cocoa powder. Set aside
3. To a medium-sized bowl, add and whisk together all-purpose flour, baking soda, and kosher salt. Set aside.
4. In your bowl of water, espresso powder, and black cocoa, add and mix together your granulated sugar, vanilla extract, eggs, buttermilk, distilled white vinegar, and oil.
5. A third at a time, mixing between each pour, add your dry ingredients to your large bowl of wet ingredients. Mix until ingredients are moistened and fully combined.
6. Pour and evenly spread the batter into your prepared cupcake liners. Bake for 16-18 minutes or until cupcakes bounce back at the touch of your finger.
7. Let cupcakes cool in pan about 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.

Black Buttercream Instructions

1. Combine your unsalted butter, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, heavy cream, both cocoa powders, and salt. Mix on a low speed for about 1 minute before increasing to medium-high speed for 2-3 more minutes. Stop your mixer and scrape down the sides of your bowl toward the center so everything combines evenly. 
2. Add your food dye before mixing on medium speed for another 1-2 minutes. Frosting's color will deepen  to a light black, almost charcoal, color.
3. To further darken buttercream, take approximately 1/4 cup (or 50 grams) at a time of your frosting. Heat it in a microwavable bowl for five seconds on medium power. Add this melted frosting back into your main bowl and turn the mixer on again to combine. Continue to heat small amounts of frosting at a time and add it back to your bowl until you’ve achieved a deep black color. I do this twice and then let it rest overnight on my counter, at room temperature. 
4. Put frosting into piping bag fitted with tip of choice and decorate cupcake tops!