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1. 

   Gather your ingredients:
   
   * or you could cheat and use a cake mix. That's what Carrie would do! If this is your plan, skip steps 2, 3, and 4 and follow the box's instructions instead.

2. 

   Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
   
   Line two 12-cup muffin tins with cupcake papers, preferably pink ones! Set aside.




3. 

   

   In a small bowl, sift together the flour and baking soda. Set aside.
   
   In a large bowl, on the medium speed of an electric mixer, cream the butter until smooth. Add the sugars and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the chocolate, mixing until well incorporated. Add the dry ingredients in three parts, alternating with the buttermilk and vanilla. With each addition, beat until the ingredients are incorporated, but do not overbeat. Using a rubber spatula, scrape down the batter in the bowl to make sure the ingredients are well blended and the batter is smooth.

4. 

   

   Carefully spoon the batter into the cupcake liners, filling them about three-quarters full.




5. 

   

   Bake for 20–25 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center of the cupcake comes out clean.
   
   *While you wait, mix up a Cosmo and order some Chinese takeout. Don't forget, now is the time to invite some girlfriends over to help you eat these!
   
   Then turn cupcakes out of the pan to cool completely before frosting.

6. 

   

   Hopefully you haven't had too much vodka at this point to make the frosting! Double check to make sure your cream cheese is room temperature. If it is cold, it won't blend well and will look lumpy :( Add sugar, cheese, vanilla, and food coloring to a medium bowl. Beat on high speed until fluffy.

7. 

   Using a pastry bag and a large round tip, pipe frosting in a swirl onto cooled cupcakes. If you don't have one, you can just spread the frosting with a knife, but you won't get the Magnolia look. Top with a bit of cupcake bling: silver or white nonpareils, glittery cake sugar, etc.
   
   *Now you can kick off your Manolos and hang with the girls in front of your favorite episode. Don't forget the pitcher of Cosmos...

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