Luscious Christmas Cupcakes

For the Cupcakes:

Pre-heat oven to 350 F (175 C). Line the cupcake pan with 12 paper liners.

In a medium bowl, combine ½ cup cocoa with 1 cup hot water, then add 2 Tbsps. dark chocolate chip pieces. Stir until the chocolate melts. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt. Using an electric mixer, gradually add the chocolate mixture to the flour mixture, then mix in the mayonnaise (the batter will seem a little thinner than usual).

Using an ice cream scoop, divide the batter evenly among the lined cupcake pan, filling each hole 2/3 full. Bake for approximately 20 minutes until a cake tester inserted into a cupcake comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let the cakes cool in the pan, then gently remove each one onto a plate.

For the Buttercream Icing:

Cream together the softened butter and vanilla flavoring, then add the icing sugar. Add the milk until desired consistency, Divide the icing into several bowls, depending on the number of different colors desired (I used four colors). Add a few drops of gel dye into each bowl and stir. Place mixture into piping bags and pipe the desired colors onto each cupcake.