Brooke is 4!

My sweet middle daughter is officially four years old. Brooke has been anxiously waiting for this birthday to arrive for some time now, even telling us she's five. Something about the number five is magical to her. But now she is actually four and seems to be pretty proud of it! We had a pretty low key birthday for her this year. We went to a precious little girl's party just last weekend which was an "Eloise at the Plaza" theme (I wish I had brought my camera. It was absolutely divine! My nanny, Eloise, would have thought it was the bees knees!). Before we arrived I had to explain to Brooke that Mariah was turning five and that is why she was having such a big party. And when she turns five we can have a blowout extravaganza too! But our little family affair was just as special. The night before the big day I made cupcakes so we could have them with Daddy. He would be at rehearsal late the next evening. I made a delicious batch of chocolate chip cupcakes and I had to share the recipe just in case someone looking on google for a really good double chocolate and dairy free cake recipe could use it! I realize I currently have like three followers (one being my mom and the other my daughter) but still. You never know! Here's the recipe:

Seriously Good Double Chocolate Cupcakes (or cake)

Can be made with Dairy or without

2 cups sugar

3/4 Cup cocoa

1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

1 cup milk (I used rice milk)

1/2 cup oil (I used coconut oil)

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 cup boiling water

1/2 cup chocolate chips ( I use Ghirardelli semi-sweet since they are milk-free

And here's Madelyn trying icing for the first time