1-First, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a muffin tin with paper liners. In a large bowl, whisk together 2 cups sugar, 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda, and 1 teaspoon salt. Add 2 eggs, 1 cup whole milk, 1/2 cup vegetable oil, and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, then beat on medium speed for 1 minute.

2-Stir in 1 cup boiling water the batter will be thin, but that’s okay. Fill the cupcake liners 2/3 full with batter and bake for 18-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let the cupcakes cool completely on a wire rack before moving on to frosting.

3-Now for the fun part: the vanilla cream cheese frosting that brings the hydrangea design to life. Beat 1/2 cup unsalted butter in a large bowl until smooth, then add 8 oz cream cheese and blend until fully combined and smooth. Mix in 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract and 4 cups powdered confectioners’ sugar on low speed until just combined.

4-Increase the speed to medium and beat until fluffy, then slowly add 1 to 3 tablespoons heavy cream (or milk), one at a time, until you reach the desired piping consistency use less for stiffer frosting. Divide the frosting in half, color one half blue and the other purple with several shades to mimic real hydrangeas.

5-Use minimal cream to keep the frosting very stiff for piping, then fill a piping bag fitted with a large closed star piping tip with the two colored frostings side-by-side. Squeeze out a small amount into a bowl to check the flow, and pipe large, loose stars around the outer edge of each cooled cupcake, filling in the center with more stars. If the frosting softens, chill the piping bag in the refrigerator for 15-20 minutes to firm it up. For more ideas on piping, our carrot cake cupcakes page has helpful tips on decorating.