2 cups granulated sugar
1 3/4 cup white all purpose flour
3/4 cup Dark Cocoa (Hersheys if you can get it, or the equivalent), sifted
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (180 degrees Celcius). Line 24 muffin tins with paper cupcake liners

2) whisk together dry ingredients in a large bowl. (I sift the cocoa, it tends to clump). Blend in eggs, milk, oil & vanilla. beat for 2 minutes on medium speed of standing mixer, high speed of handheld mixer.

3) pour in boiling water and mix another 30 seconds

IMPORTANT: This batter is very thin, like chocolate syrup. The best way to fill your cupcake papers is to transfer the batter to a cup with a pouring spout. I use my 4 cup measuring cup. Fill cupcakes 2/3 full. If you overfill they burst and form odd blobs, tasty but unsightly. You will fill at least 24 and have batter left over since this recipe will also make 2 nine inch cake layers. Don't be tempted to overfill, make more cupcakes.

4) bake for 15 minutes until they crown nicely and bounce back when pressed.

5) cool in tins on racks. cool completely before filling

Filling:

1/2 to 3/4 cup Good quality raspberry jam or jelly.

Place jame or jelly in bowl. Run a fork through to loosen it up or it's won't pipe properly. If it's very stiff a teaspoon or two of hot water will help. Place in a plastic baggie with a zip top. Snip a small hole in a corner. Take a sharp knife and make an 'X' in the top of the cupcake going about halfway down and a good inch across. Place the open tip of the baggie in the 'X' and squeeze to fill. You will have to clean the knife every few cupcakes.

Frosting:

1/2 cup (4 oz/100 g) butter
2/3 cup Special dark cocoa
3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Optional, 1 tablespoon raspberry jam, or replace part of the milk with a flavored liquer

Melt butter, stir in cocoa, Alternately add sugar and milk and then vanilla. If using jam loosen with a fork or heat slightly. Too much jam and the frosting will be too stiff to spread properly. This is plenty of frosting. If you wish to gild the lily, a fresh raspberry on each cupcake will do the trick.