Chocolate Stress Relief Cupcakes With Blueberry Buttercream

What's better than chocolate when you are stressed out? How about chocolate that contains herbs that are known to help reduce stress!  Here you have, stress relieving cupcakes.
These cupcakes contain four powdered herbs:
Maca powder- has positive effects on mood, energy and can reduce anxiety
Ashwagandha powder- helps reduce anxiety
Astragalus powder- good for the heart and liver
Nettle powder- helps balance pH which can lower stress
It also has real blueberry juice in the frosting. Blueberries have antioxidants which helps protect against oxidative stress.
I know, this is starting to sound like a lecture in school, so I'll move onto the recipe.

Ingredients
Cupcake

1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp Maca powder
2 tsp Ashwagandha powder
2 tsp Astragalus powder
2 tsp Nettle powder
1 cup boiling water
1 1/3 cup flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla

Frosting

1 cup butter (at room temperature) 
3-4 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 Tbs milk
2 Tbs blueberry juice (I thawed out some frozen blueberries)

I know some of the ingredients might be hard to find, but if you can get your hands on them it will be worth it.


Cupcake instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly butter, or line 16 muffin cups with paper liners.

In a small bowl stir until smooth the boiling hot water, the cocoa powder, maca, nettle, ashwagandha and astragalus. Let cool to room temperature.

In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.

Then in the bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating until smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in the vanilla extract. Add the flour mixture and beat only until incorporated. Then add the cooled cocoa mixture and stir until smooth.

Fill each muffin cup about two-thirds full with batter and bake for about 16 - 20 minutes or until risen, springy to the touch, and a toothpick inserted into a cupcake comes out clean. (Do not over bake or the cupcakes will be dry.) Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool. Once the cupcakes have completely cooled, frost with icing.
(Adapted from Joy of Baking chocolate cupcakes)

Frosting instructions

Beat butter for a few minutes with a mixer.  Add 3 cups of powdered sugar and mix until the sugar has been incorporated with the butter.  Add vanilla extract, blueberry juice and milk.  If your frosting needs a more stiff consistency, add remaining sugar. If your frosting needs to be thinned out, add more blueberry juice or milk.
(Adapted from Savory Sweet Life's buttercream frosting)