Chocolate Lovers Cupcakes.

Everyone loves a cake, and if you don’t – you’re crazy (sorry). I mean whats better than having 20 mins of YOU time with a cuppa and a slice? So we decided to make some cupcakes after a trip to Tescos – looking like we’ve just left Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory, it was pretty obvious that chocolate was todays choice of flavour. After making these beauties, I had to share them with you… I mean just look at that chocolatey stack of goodness!

Keep scrolling to find out how to make these mini mountains of chocolatey goodness…

Whenever I make cakes, I have a go-to method that I always use, without question. (Disclaimer) – I don’t know where this method was originally from, but I learnt it from my Mum when I was very young and I’ve never made cakes any other way.

So my cheat method is; weigh your eggs (I usually use 4 large), and write down the weight. You will use that same weight for the castor sugar, margarine and self-raising flour (for GF switch the flour to Free From). 

Pre-heat your oven to 180C and fill those trays with cupcake cases! Lets go…

1. Weigh your eggs, and remember that weight as you’ll be using it for everything else!

2. Crack and beat them and put them to one side for now.

3. Pop your margarine (same weight as eggs) into a bowl and stir to soften.

4. Add your golden castor sugar to the bowl, (same weight again) and mix well with a wooden spoon.

5. Bring back the eggs! Pour the egg mixture into the centre of the sugar and margarine mix, just a little at a time so it doesn’t curdle. Beat the mixture together to add some air – this will help the cakes rise in the oven.

6. Siv the same weight of flour into the mix, and this time you need to stir gently, folding the mix with your spoon to trap the air – again this will help them rise in the oven.

7. Add around 1 =tbsp of cocoa powder into the mixture with 75ml of semi-skinned or full fat milk. (Based on the mixture containing 4 eggs). If you need more milk as its dry, then add as you need, but don’t make the mixture runny! I also always add a tsp or two of vanilla extract to the mixture to make it extra yummy.

8. Spoon the mixture evenly into each cupcake case, ensuring you fill them at least 3/4 of the way so you get good size cakes. I find that you need to fill the cases more if you’ve used GF flour as it tends not to rise as well.

9. Pop into the oven for about 22-30 mins (don’t open the oven whilst they’re cooking!) Ensure the centre if cooked through before taking them out the oven. Let them cool down on a rack before decorating.

Next, its time to decorate! This is the best part, as we now get to load the cupcakes with mountains of chocolate, hmmm. First choose your icing, I make butter-cream by mixing 100g butter/margarine with 200g icing sugar, and tsp of vanilla extract. Oh, also add cocoa powder and milk to the icing too if you’d like to make it chocolatey.

Next, cut out the high risen point on the cake to make it flat or with a small hole and replace with your buttercream. I would usually pipe it on the cake but after loosing half our cake equipment, I just spooned it in. Then, pop your favourite chocolate goodies on top! We used Kinder, chocolate buttons, Twirls, marshmallows and Creme eggs! Finally, whip yourself up a creamy hot chocolate, pop a movie on and enjoy!

As always, love Elise x