Licorice Chocolate Cupcakes (Gluten-Free)

To make the cupcakes, preheat the oven the 350 degrees F. Place cupcake liners into two cupcake pans. Set aside until needed.

In a large bowl, sift together the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the eggs, milk, olive oil, and vanilla. With the mixer running on low speed, gradually add the flour mixture until it is fully incorporated, scraping down the bowl as necessary. Add the boiling water and mix until the batter is smooth. Don’t worry if your batter is watery – it is supposed to be thin.

Using an ice cream scoop, pour the batter into the cupcake liners.

Bake the cupcakes in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into a couple of cupcakes comes out clean, about 15-20 minutes. Allow the cupcakes to cool in the pan for about 5 minutes and then transfer the cupcakes to a cooling rack to cool completely.

While the cupcakes are cooling, make the Licorice Seven Minute Frosting. In a large, heatproof bowl (I used the bowl of my stand mixer), combine the sugar, water, egg whites, cream of tartar, and salt. Place the bowl over a pot of simmering water and whisk constantly (using a hand held mixer works best) until stiff peaks form, about 5 minutes.

Remove from heat, add the vanilla and anise oil to the mixture and then transfer the bowl to a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment and whisk, gradually increasing in speed until the frosting becomes light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.

To frost the cupcakes, place the frosting in a piping bag fitted with your favorite piping tip (I used a closed star tip). Pipe the frosting in a circular motion onto each cupcake. Serve and enjoy!

These cupcakes only last up to 24 hours in a sealed container. Any longer and the frosting will be sticky and not fluffy.

Cake recipe adapted from Annie Eats. Frosting recipe from Joy the Baker, who got it from Epicurious.