Chocolate cupcakes

Ingredients (make 12 cupcakes)

• 80g unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup caster sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ¾ cups plain flour
• ¾ cup cocoa powder
• 2 tsps baking powder
• ½ cup milk

Icing

• 50g unsalted butter
• 1 cup icing sugar
• 1 cup cocoa powder
• 2 tbsp milk
• Sprinkles or lollies to decorate

Steps

• Preheat oven with fan to 180°C or without fan for 200°C.
• Place cupcake papers in two 12-hole cupcake trays.

• In an electric mixer, beat butter for 2 minutes until pale in colour and creamy. Add sugar one third at a time and cocoa beating well between each addition. Add the eggs one at a time, beating for about a minute between each addition. Add the vanilla essence and beat until combined.

• Sift flour and baking powder and add half to butter mixture with half the milk, mix until well combined. Repeat with remaining flour and milk.

• Divide batter evenly between 12 patty cases.

• Bake for 15-20 minutes, Cupcakes are baked if they spring back when lightly touched in the centre. Allow cupcakes to cool in pan for 5 minutes before transferring.

Icing Steps

• In an electric mixer, beat Cream butter until pale and smooth. Add the milk and half the sifted icing sugar and cocoa powder. Beat until well combined. Add the remaining icing sugar and beat until mixture is light and fluffy. The mixture should be a spreadable paste; if it is too dry, add some more milk, if too wet add more icing sugar.

• When cakes are cold, spread generously with icing and dip into sprinkles or decorate with small lollies.

Rose cupcake icing

I also decided to do a rose swirl with the icing. As it was my first attempt, it was not very good but here are the steps.

• Start from the middle and pipe a small amount of buttercream into the centre.

•  Slowly work your way around going anti-clockwise until you reach the outer edge of your cupcake. Remember to apply even pressure to your pipping bag, this insures an even swirl all the way around.

Here is the YouTube video if you want to try.

I made them for Teej along with Vanilla cupcakes.