Yellow Squash Cupcakes with Chocolate Frosting

Ingredients

• For the cupcakes:
• Baking spray
• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon grated orange zest from 1 orange
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1 cup coarsely grated yellow squash, from about one 8-ounce squash
• For the frosting:
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
• 2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted and slightly cooled

Directions

1. For the cupcakes, move an oven rack to the middle and heat the oven to 325 degrees F. Set cupcake liners in a 12-cup muffin tin, then coat the tin with baking spray. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cardamom, and put it aside. In a large bowl, beat the butter, oil, sugar, and orange zest on medium speed until the mixture looks smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each one. Add the vanilla and sour cream, and beat until blended. Stir in the flour mixture, then fold in the squash. Portion the batter evenly into the prepared tin. Bake until a tester poked into the center of the cupcakes comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Set the tin on a cooling rack for 10 minutes, then remove the cupcakes from the tin and place them directly on the rack until fully cool, about 45 minutes.
2. For the frosting, beat the butter and cream cheese on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Turn the mixer down to low and mix in the confectioners' sugar only until it disappears, about 30 seconds. Increase the speed back to medium and beat until light, about 1 minute. Mix in the vanilla, salt, and chocolate, stopping to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula whenever needed. Frost the cooled cupcakes and serve.