For the Vanilla Cake:

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup milk (or dairy-free milk)

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 large egg

For the Chocolate Frosting:

1/2 cup powdered sugar

2 tablespoons cocoa powder

2 tablespoons unsweetened milk (or dairy-free milk)

2 tablespoons butter (or dairy-free butter)

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease or line a muffin tin with paper liners.
In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
In another bowl, whisk together the milk, vegetable oil, vanilla extract, and egg until smooth.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until just combined.
Divide the batter evenly into the muffin tin, filling each cup about 2/3 full.
Bake for 18-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cakes cool completely.
While the cakes cool, prepare the chocolate frosting. In a small bowl, mix together the powdered sugar, cocoa powder, milk, butter, and vanilla extract until smooth.
Once the cakes have cooled, spread the chocolate frosting generously on top.

To make the cakes dairy-free, swap the milk with a plant-based milk and use dairy-free butter.

For a gluten-free option, use a gluten-free flour blend instead of all-purpose flour.

You can customize the frosting by using cream cheese frosting, whipped cream, or any frosting of your choice.

Add a pinch of cinnamon or almond extract to the cake batter for a flavor twist.