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• To make your hats, see instructions here.

To make your cupcakes:

• Mix together in a bowl your flour, sugar, salt, and baking soda.
• In a pot on the stove, melt your butter, add the water, and cocoa powder. Bring to a boil.
• Once it has boiled, add it to your bowl with your dry ingredients. Whisk together until there are no lumps.
• Add your egg, buttermilk, and vanilla. Whisk again.
• Set your oven to 350°F and line your muffin tin your liners.
• I like to use an ice cream scooper for cupcakes, so, fill your liners ¾ of the way up.
• Place in the oven between 18-20 minutes. When you remove them from the oven, you should be able to stick a toothpick in the middle and for it to come out clean.
• Let the cupcakes cool in the tin for about 15 minutes. Once they have cooled a bit, transfer to a wire wrack.
• While they are cooling, you can go ahead and make your icing.

Icing

• Take your softened butter and cream cheese and beat with the paddle attachment in your mixer. Let it beat for a few minutes so it gets nice and fluffy.
• Add your powdered sugar and let it carry on for a few minutes as it forms into icing.
• It is going to seem a bit stiff, so, now you will add your milk or cream.
• Take a bit of the icing out of the bowl, as you will mix this with the four house colors.
• Once you have your reserved amount out of the bowl (you won't need much) add your cocoa powder to the icing. If you feel it is too stiff, then, add 1 more tablespoon of cream.

Back to your cupcakes:

• You are going to make a divit in each of the cupcakes. This is where the color for each house will go.
• Separate the icing you took out and place it into 4 bowls, and mix your red, yellow, green, and blue (yay Ravenclaw!).
• Fill the cupcakes with the colors.
• Once you have filled your cupcakes, fill a piping bag with the chocolate icing and cover the tops so that no one can see what is inside! You want them to be surprised.
• Place your hats on top and voila! You have successfully made sorting hat cupcakes!