Gloverly Cupcakes

Maybe that’s not completely true but if you don’t like cake then there’s something wrong with you! This weekend I went down to London to stay with my oldest friends (not oldest as in they’re really old but oldest as in we’ve been friends for as long as I can remember!) – Nic and Sian. Nic was cooking dinner for us on the Friday night so I offered to bring a pudding, and since it was Sian’s birthday on Sunday, I decided to make some cupcakes as a kind of

I’d had a long day at work, it was my last night with Tom for 5 weeks and so I didn’t have much time so rather than come up with a fancy decoration, I found these toppers which Father Christmas (yes, he still comes to our house!) gave me for Christmas a few years ago…

Nic reminded me that last time I stayed with her, I gave her and Sian a lesson in cupcake making and decorating and she remembered Sian saying she didn’t like really sweet icing. She asked if it was possible to make “chocolate brownie” cupcakes. It sounded like a great idea to me – rich rather than sweet and perfect for a pudding too!

So I did a bit of googling and came up with a suitable rich chocolate cake recipe and then adapted it! The actual cupcakes were ok, probably not the best I’ve tasted and not quite brownie-like enough for me – I was hoping they’d be a bit squidgier! Everyone said they were good though so here is the recipe…

Chocolate Brownie Cupcakes (adapted from cupcakeblog.com)

Makes 12 large and 12 mini cupcakes

100g dark chocolate (70%)

175g butter

225g soft light brown sugar

4 eggs

80g plain flour

15g cocoa powder

3/4 tsp baking powder

Line 1 large and one mini muffin tray with 12 cases each. Pre-heat the oven to gas mark 4.

Melt the butter and chocolate together slowly in the microwave or over a bain-marie. Once melted, stir in the sugar and leave to cool.

Once cool, beat on high in an electric stand mixer – I found it separated but don’t worry, it comes together again when you start adding the eggs. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each one. It should be thick and creamy at the end.

Add the flour, cocoa powder and baking power and beat slowly until combined.

Spoon into the cases. Bake the large cupcakes first for about 20-25 minutes (check them after 15). Once done, take the tin out the oven and place the cakes on a wire cooling rack. Lower the oven to gas mark 3 and place the mini cakes in the over. Bake for 20 minutes (check and turn around after 15). Take the tin out the oven and place the cakes on the cooling rack to cool.

Ice with buttercream once completely cool.

Chocolate Buttercream (from Hummingbird Bakery Cake Days)

200g icing sugar

50g cocoa powder

80g butter

30ml milk

Beat the icing sugar, cocoa powder and butter together on a very slow speed until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. I always put a tea towel over the top of my KitchenAid to prevent icing sugar going everywhere! Then slowly add the milk. Once it’s all been added increase the speed and beat on high for 5 minutes until light and fluffy.