- - - - - chocolate cupcakes

makes 12 cupcakes

prep time:

baking time: 25 mins

ingredients

for cupcakes

for frosting

method

1) preheat oven to 180 C. line 12 cups of a muffin tray with paper cases

2) put cocoa in a bowl and add a little water. mix until it forms a paste, then mix the rest of the water and set aside

3) using a hand mixer, cream the butter and sugar. gradually add the eggs. sift in the flour and baking powder and mix well. add the cocoa mixture and mix again

4) divide evenly between the cases

5) bake cupcakes for ~25 mins, until risen and just firm. leave 10 mins, then transfer to rack

6) while cupcakes bake, melt chocolate in a glass bowl set over a pan of simmering water. once melted, remove from the heat

7) beat the butter until soft, then gradually beat in the icing sugar, then the vanilla extract

8) once the chocolate is cool enough to touch, fold it into the butter mix until completely incorporated. if the icing is too stiff, add a little milk

9) once cupcakes are cool, ice