Recipe: Fudgy Frosting

{This...is clearly not my cupcake. And it has nothing to do, really, with the following recipe. Click here for the photo source and more pictures of cute cupcakes.}

This is the best frosting I have ever eaten {again, this has nothing to do with the cupcake up there}. I put it on my birthday cupcakes this week. And thanks to this frosting, my birthday turned out to be delicious.

A quick note: yes, making frosting takes a bit more time than using frosting from the store. And a bit more effort. But not much more. Homemade frosting is also better for you than the stuff at the store--it's still junk food, but at least you can pronounce all the ingredients in it. Anyway, on to the recipe.

Fudgy Frosting
adapted from a recipe in my mom's Pillsbury cookbook

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup cocoa powder (heaping, if you like dark chocolate. Which I do. And it really makes this frosting yummy)
3 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla

Melt butter in a saucepan on the stove. Add the cocoa powder, and heat it until it barely starts to boil. Remove from heat, and pour into a large bowl. Let it cool for a minute or two. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix it all together. Add more milk if you like it a little runnier.

And try to restrain yourself from eating it all straight out of the bowl. Which I would have done, if my cupcakes hadn't looked so naked.