Ingredients

Base ingredients for my cupcakes include
All-purpose flour (Unbleached Baker Josef's from Trader Joes or Organic Gold Medal)
Egg-lands Best All Natural, Cage Free eggs
Nielsen-Massey Extracts
Hersheys or Trader Joes Unsweetened Cocoa Powder (All Natural)
Challenge Unsalted Butter (made from cows not treated with the growth hormone rbST)
Pure Cane Granulated Sugar
Imperial Sugar Pure Cane All Natural 10x Powdered Sugar
Arm &Hammer or Trader Joes Baking Soda

I also use
Philadephia Cream Cheese
Ghirardelli chocolate
Daisy sour cream
Fine quality chocolates

I never use any subsitutes. 
Through my research and experimenting, I have found that using the best quality
ingredients is an absolute must.