Small Batch Valentine Cupcakes (chocolate and vanilla)

I actually made half a batch but will provide you with the measurements for a full batch. 

Small Batch Valentine Cupcakes (chocolate and vanilla)

Adapted from My Madison Bistro

Makes 12 mini cupcakes or 6 regular cupcakes

Ingredients
For the Cupcakes

• 3/4 cup flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• pinch of salt
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 2 egg whites
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder

For the Frosting

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup confectioners sugar
• pinch of salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• beet juice or food colouring

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350F and line your muffin tins with paper liners.
2. In a bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Add softened butter, egg whites, milk and vanilla and beat for just a minute or so with a whisk. You can use beaters if you want but the whisk worked out okay for me.
3. Take half the batter and put it in a separate bowl. Add 1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder and whisk until well combined.
4. Fill the paper cups about 3/4 full of batter then bake for 8-10 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cook completely before frosting.
5. To make the frosting, combine all frosting ingredients in a bowl and whisk for a minute. It should be thick. Again, you can use beaters for this if you want it a but fluffier.
6. Pipe or spread the frosting on the cool cupcakes and decorate however you like. I used coloured sugar and cinnamon hearts.

Tips:

• To get the beet juice, grate a small piece of fresh beet with a small grater into a paper towel. Squeeze the grated beet in the paper towel and the juice will drip out.