Chocolate Cupcakes

It's Christmas so time for some indulgence. When I think cake I always think chocolate, I think cream, I think soft sponge and chocolate cream! 

When visitors come round for a coffee it's great to have some cake to offer with the drink so to have some cupcakes on hand is great! 

This recipe makes 14 cupcakes which will last up to 3-4 days! So plenty of time to get through them so get inviting some people for coffee and create an excuse to gobble them up! 

To make these chocolate treats we will need the following - please note to keep them nice and moist I am adding vegetable oil and milk into the batter. This will make quite a runny batter but the result is a delicious moist chocolate cake! 

95g Plain Flour 

42g Cocoa Powder

1/2 Teaspoon Baking Powder

1/2 Teaspoon Baking Soda

1/4 Teaspoon Salt

2 Medium Eggs

100g Golden Caster Sugar

100g Light Brown Sugar

80ml Vegetable Oil

2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract

120ml Milk

Using the Milk, the oil and the brown sugar will all add to help keep those cupcakes really moist and yummy! 

Before you start pop the oven on 170C, and setup a muffin tin with cake liners in them. You will need 14 so if your tin takes 12 positions you will need a second tray. 

Start by mixing the oil,eggs, vanilla and sugars  until its light and well combined, I use a food mixer so threw the butter in and let it spin for a few minutes. In a bowl mix the flour, the cocoa powder, the baking powder, baking soda and salt. Slowly add the dry ingredients into the butter and sugar mixture. If you are using a food mixer have it running on slow or else you will get four everywhere! 

• Once you have everything combined you will have a runny batter mixture. To make things easy transfer the batter into a jug so that you can easily pour it into the cake liners. I find it easier to do this as it saves on mess and also its easier to judge the amount of batter to add to each cake. Only fill the batter half way up! If you over fill they will overflow and look not so good! Also they will cook unevenly. Once the batter has been poured out check to see the oven is up to temperature and if so, place the trays in the oven for 20 minutes. 
• After 20 minutes check to see if they are cooked, I have a skewer that i used to see if my cakes are cooked. I push the skewer in, if it comes out clean the cakes are done and you can take them out! If they need a few minutes more leave them be and then check again! 
• Place the cakes on a wire rack to cool, whilst they are cooling prepare the chocolate topping. 
• To do this you will need the following
• 230g Unsalted Softened Butter
• 420g Icing Sugar
• 45g  Cocoa Powder
• 45ml Double Ceam
• 1/4 Teaspoon Salt
• 2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract
• Start by mixing the butter in a food mixer, keep beating it until its light and creamy, the longer you beat it for the better it will be! Once you have that colour start adding the icing sugar and cocoa powder, take your time and dont have the mixer running too fast or you will have icing sugar dust everywhere! Add the vanilla extract about half way through adding the icing sugar and cocoa. As the mixture thickens add some of the cream to loosen it. Once everything is combined add more cream if you need it to bring the mixture to your required texture. 
• Check to see that the cakes are now cool. If so you can pipe or spoon the icing on to the cupcakes and then sprinkle with chocolate sprinkles! Job done, make a coffee, grab a cake and enjoy! 

•