Birthday Cupcakes

Classic Cupcakes

Makes 12

Ingredients

• 2 cups self-raising flour, sifted
• 3/4 cup caster sugar
• 3/4 cup milk
• 125g butter, melted, cooled
• 2 x 59g eggs, beaten
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla Essence
• Sprinkles and lollies, to decorate

• Icing

• 1 1/2 cups pure icing sugar
• Pink food colouring, optional
• 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons water

Method

1. Preheat oven to 200°C. Grease a 12 x 1/3-cup capacity muffin pan. Alternatively, line holes with paper cases. Combine flour and caster sugar in a bowl. Make a well in the centre.
2. Add milk, butter, eggs and vanilla to flour mixture. Using a large metal spoon, stir gently to combine.
3. Spoon mixture into prepared muffin pan. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Stand in pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool.
4. Make icing: Sift icing sugar into a bowl. Add food colouring and water. Stir until smooth and well combined. Spoon icing over cupcakes. Decorate with sprinkles and lollies.

Photography by Steve Brown

Double chocolate cupcakes

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Makes 12

Ingredients

• 1 quantity classic cupcake recipe (see related recipe)
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder, sifted
• 3/4 cup dark or milk choc bits
• 1 tablespoon cocoa powder, extra, to serve
• 1/2 cup cream
• 200g dark chocolate, roughly chopped

Method

1. Follow step 1 of classic cupcake recipe, reducing self-raising flour to 1 1/2 cups. Stir in cocoa powder and choc bits.
2. Follow step 2 of classic cupcake recipe.
3. Bake cupcakes following step 3 of classic cupcake recipe.
4. Make icing: Place cream and chocolate into a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Stir with a metal spoon until smooth. Remove from heat. Refrigerate for 30 minutes, or until a spreadable consistency. Spread over cupcakes. Sprinkle with cocoa.

Notes & tips

Shortcut: Place cream and chocolate into a microwave-safe bowl. Heat, uncovered, stirring every 30 seconds with a metal spoon, for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes on MEDIUM (50%) power, or until melted and smooth

4/11/09 Note: Made a double mix and got 116 mini cupcakes! Baked them at 190C fan forced and they were perfectly cooked after 12 minutes.