Chocolate cupcakes with cream cheese frosting

Preheat the oven to 350F.

Line eight holes of a 12-hole muffin pan with paper cups. If you plan on giving away these chocolate cupcakes as a Christmas gift, I suggest you use those metallic paper liners in Christmas colors.

Sift together the flour, cocoa powder and salt.

Whisk the oil and sugar until smooth (I used a wire whisk). Add the egg, whisk until incorporated. Add the a third of the flour and mix. Add half of the milk and mix. Add another third of the flour, then the remaining half of the milk and, finally, the last third of the flour, mixing after each addition.

Place the baking soda in a small bowl. Pour in the vinegar (watch the mixture fizzle!). Pour the mixture into the cake batter and mix until incorporated.

Pour the batter into the lined muffin pan. It is alright to almost fill the holes to the brim as the cupcake batter will only rise at the center.

Bake for 20 minutes.

Take the cupcakes out of oven, transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.

When the cupcakes have cooled, spread the tops with cream cheese frosting. Garnish with shaved chocolate.