Easy Double Chocolate Chocolate Coin Cupcakes Recipe

Double Chocolate Chocolate Coin Cupcakes

... Phew! Enough chocolate there? I'm a firm believer that there is no such thing as too much chocolate, if adding more chocolate is an option, then it should be done. These were made late one night when my mother confessed a craving for both chocolate coins and cake.. and so the double chocolate chocolate coin cupcake was born. They are also a great way to use up any chocolate coin sweets that may be left over after the Christmas holidays! (If they haven't been snatched up already). This is a simple chocolate and chocolate buttericing recipe that is super easy and quick to make and decorate (while still looking effective!). 

A Chocoholic's dream

If you're a chocoholic then these are the cakes for you, combining both dark and milk chocolate with a sweet old coin on top.

Makes 12 - 24

Ingredients

For the cakes:

120g Butter or Margarine

120g Caster Sugar (could also use granulated)

2 Eggs

140g Self-Raising Flour

80g Plain Cocoa Powder

A Splash of Milk

For the buttericing:

140g Butter

340g Icing Sugar (+ more if necessary)

1 to 2 tbsp Milk (+ more if necessary)
3 to 4 tbsp Cocoa Powder

6 to 12 Chocolate Coins

Directions

• Preheat an oven to 180°C.
• Line a muffin/cake tray with cake cases.
• In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar with a spoon until pale and fluffy.
• In a jug or cup, beat the eggs with a whisk and beat into the butter mixture.
• Fold in the flour and cocoa powder, a little at a time, using a spoon. Whisk the mixture and add some milk until the mixture is of a dropping consistency (take a spoonful and see if the mixture drops / droops off).
• Spoon the mixture into the cases until half full.
• Bake in the oven for approx. 10 to 15 minutes (until the tops are slightly dark and firm and an inserted skewer / toothpick comes out clean).
• Allow the cakes to cool on a plate or wire rack.
• While the cakes are cooling, make the buttericing by beating the butter until smooth in a large bowl.
• Add icing sugar until the buttericing is a pale yellow / white colour (here is where I do a taste test to see if more icing sugar is needed!)
• Add milk until the icing is of a smooth and drooping consistency but not too liquid. (It should be thick but still a droopy mixture).
• Mix in the cocoa powder.
• Place the buttericing mixture into a piping bag and pipe onto the cooled cakes. (I used an open star nozzle!).
• Dust cakes with some more cocoa.
• Cut chocolate coins in half and place one half on each cake.
• Allow to chill in a refrigerator.
• These will last for approx. 3 - 4 days.
  

Tips & Serving ideas

• Try drizzling some melted chocolate on top.
• Decorate with chocolate shavings or sprinkles.
• These were served with a big mug of milky hot chocolate.. try it!

Cara X

Fresh Strawberry Cupcakes Recipe

Fresh Strawberry Cupcakes

For me, there's not much better than a new box of fresh red strawberries, especially when said strawberries are turned into a dessert! If you're a dessert and fruit lover like me, you 're going to absolutely love this recipe, with a combination of fresh fruit and moist sweet cake sponge..these cakes are definately a winner. As with all recipes, this can be easily adapted to use all kinds of fruit, or a combination (fruit smoothie cupcake anyone?!). The use of fresh ingredients means that these are best eaten within one or max. two days within baking, although whether they survive that long is highly unlikely! This recipe uses chopped fresh strawberries but you could also use a strawberry extract.

Nothing better than a ripe ol' Berry.. 

Given their fruity and fresh nature, these cakes would make a great accompaniment to a tea party, or other Spring / Summer events! They're also a great gift idea (I made these for the first time for my mother's birthday!), and would make a lovely homemade Valentine's gift for that special someone.. yum!

Makes 12 - 24

Ingredients

For the cakes:

120g Butter or Margarine

120g Caster Sugar (could also use granulated)

2 Eggs

140g Self-Raising Flour

A Splash of Milk

7 Medium sized Strawberries (Or 1 tsp Strawberry Extract)

For the filling:
12 to 24 tsp Strawberry Jam

For the buttericing:

140g Butter

340g Icing Sugar (+ more if necessary)

1-2 tbsp Milk (+ more if necessary)
2 Medium sized Strawberries (Or 1/2 tsp Strawberry Extract)
6 to 12 Large Strawberries to decorate
Pink or Red Food Colouring
Pink / White / Red Sprinkles or other edible decorations

Directions

• Preheat an oven to 180°C.
• Line a muffin/cake tray (2 if you have them) with cake cases.
• In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar with a spoon until pale and fluffy.
• In a jug or cup, beat the eggs with a whisk and beat into the butter mixture.
• Fold in the flour a little at a time, using a spoon. Whisk the mixture and add some milk until the mixture is of a dropping consistency (take a spoonful and see if the mixture drops / droops off).
• Wash and chop up the strawberries into small chunks and fold into the prepared mixture. (or alternatively, add the strawberry extract).
• Spoon the mixture into the cases until half full.
• Bake in the oven for approx. 10 to 15 minutes (until the tops are golden and firm and an inserted skewer / toothpick comes out clean).
• Allow the cakes to cool on a plate or wire rack.
• While the cakes are cooling, make the buttericing by beating the butter until smooth in a large bowl.
• Add icing sugar until the buttericing is a pale yellow / white colour (here is where I do a taste test to see if more icing sugar is needed!)
• Add milk until the icing is of a smooth and drooping consistency but not too liquid. (It should be thick but still a droopy mixture).
• Wash and chop the strawberries into small chunks and fold into the icing (or alternatively, add the strawberry extract).
• Mix in the food colouring until you gain the shade you like.
• For the filling, cut out a shallow hole in the center of each cake using a teaspoon, knife or apple corer. 
• Place 1/2 to 1 tsp of jam into each hole and place the cut out piece of cake back on top of the jam.
• Place the buttericing mixture into a piping bag and pipe onto the cooled cakes. (I used an open star nozzle!).
• Wash and cut the large strawberries length wise starting from the leaves and going downwards.
• Place half a strawberry on top of each cake, adding any additional sprinkles and decorations around.
• Allow to chill in a refrigerator.
• These will last for approx. 1- 2 days. (due to containing fresh strawberries). 

Tips & Serving ideas

• You could substitute the Strawberries for any other fruit, for example; blueberries with blue icing, lemon with yellow icing etc!
• A great alternative to buttericing is fresh whipped cream (these should then be eaten on the day of baking!).
• A drizzle of homemade or bought Strawberry coulis on top would add an extra level of Strawberry goodness as well as being decorative.. yum!
• Strawberry gummy sweets would also work well as decorations.. as would any other Strawberry looking treats!
• Add pink, red or green food colouring to the sponge too.
  
  

Cara X

Simple Christmas Dark Chocolate Peppermint Candy Cane Cupcakes

Dark Chocolate Peppermint Candy Cane Cupcakes

So it's that time of year again, where all the trimmings and decorations have been flung in sweet misery back into their boxes and another 3 months await before the next chocolate-ridden holiday comes around. As do many people at this time of year, you may have made a new year's resolution to start eating better and to just be a healthier human being in general. But what about all those sweets, chocolates and candies left over from Christmas? Surely they can't go to waste? 

Christmas in a minty little case!

Be it for a sweet little treat for yourself, or a gift to someone who really needs it (January is the most depressing month of the year after all!), try having a go at making these cupcakes made from left over candy canes!

These are a great idea to use up any old sweets that are laying around, simply omit / substitute the extract and change the icing colour to suit the candy!

Using up Christmas left overs was never so much fun!

Makes: 12 - 24

Ingredients

For the Cakes:

120g Butter or Margarine

120g Caster Sugar (can use granulated if you prefer)

2 Eggs

140g Self-Raising Flour

1 to 1 and 1/2 tsp Peppermint Extract

85g Dark/Plain Cocoa Powder

A splash of Milk

For the Buttericing:

140g Butter

340g (+ more as necessary depending on your preferred consistency) Icing Sugar

1/2 tsp Peppermint Extract

1 - 2 tbsp Milk (+ as necessary)

A few drops of Pink or Red Food Colouring

A few Candy Canes

Directions

• Preheat an oven to 180°C.
• Line a muffin/cake tray (2 if you have them) with cake cases.
• In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar with a spoon until pale and fluffy.
• In a jug or cup, beat the eggs with a whisk and beat into the butter mixture.
• In another bowl combine the flour and cocoa powder.
• Add in the peppermint extract and fold in the flour and cocoa powder, a little at a time, using a spoon. Whisk the mixture and add some milk until the mixture is of a dropping consistency (take a spoonful and see if the mixture drops / droops off).
• Spoon the mixture into the cases until half full.
• Bake in the oven for approx. 10 to 15 minutes (until the tops are golden and firm and an inserted skewer / toothpick comes out clean).
• Allow the cakes to cool on a plate or wire rack.
• While the cakes are cooling, make the buttericing by beating the butter until smooth in a large bowl.
• Add icing sugar until the buttericing is a pale yellow / white colour (here is where I do a taste test to see if more icing sugar is needed!)
• Add peppermint extract and the milk until the icing is of a smooth and drooping consistency but not too liquid. (It should be thick and dense but still a droopy mixture).
• Combine in the food colouring (you may combine thoroughly for an all over colour, or just slight to get a white and red swirl effect - like a candy cane!).
• Chop or crush the candy cane into small pieces.
• Place the buttericing mixture into a piping bag and pipe onto the cooled cakes. (I used an open star nozzle!), and decorate by sprinkling the candy cane pieces on top!
• Allow to chill in a refrigerator.
• These will last for approx. 3 - 4 days. (or a few hours in my house!)

Tips & Serving ideas

• Add edible cake decorations, such as snowflakes, edible glitter and white or red sprinkles!
• Omit the cocoa powder and add red food colouring to the sponge mixture.

Would love to hear what others had left lying around after Christmas.. I must admit, I do not have many left..!

(Other Christmas left over recipes / ideas coming soon!)

Cara X