Simple and Gorgeous Chocolate Cupcakes with Buttercream Topping

I didn’t take a lot of pictures during this process as i was just messing about with ingredients but it turned out nice so i decided to share the recipe.

Makes 12 

Cupcake Ingredients:

• 60g cocoa powder (Can be replaced with dark chocolate drinking powder)
• 250ml water (boiling)
• 200g Self-Raising Flour (Plain flour can be used just add extra teaspoon of baking powder)
• 1 Teaspoon Baking Powder
• Pinch of Salt
• 125g Unsalted Butter ( A “Suitable for Baking” spread can be used”)
• 225g Caster Sugar
• 2 Large Eggs

Cupcake Method:

1. Preheat  oven to 190ºC/375ºF/Gas Mark 5 and line a muffin tray with muffin cases.
2. In a small bowl add the water (boiled) slowly to the cocoa powder until you have thick paste and then until a thick liquid. Then leave it  to cool.
3. Beat the butter in a bowl to make it soft and then add the sugar, beat the mixture until it is light and fluffy.
4. Slowly add the eggs to this mixture being careful not to let it curdle, if this happens just add a bit of flour.
5. Add the remaining dry ingredients ( flour, salt, baking powder) and mix until smooth.
6. Finally add the cocoa and water mix and stir until consistent in colour.
7. Fill each muffin/cupcake case and bake for 16 minutes until a skewer poked in the center of the cupcake comes out clean.
8. Take out of the oven and place on a coiling rack until completely cool

Icing Ingredients:

• 150g Unsweetened Chocolate (Broken into small bits)
• 200g Unsalted Butter
• 225g Icing Sugar
• Drop of Vanilla Extract

Icing Method:

1. Add the chocolate to a heatproof bowl and place over a saucepan of boiling water until mostly melted then remove and stir until thoroughly melted then let cool (instead of the saucepan you can place the bowl of chocolate in the microwave for 1 min and stir and cool)
2. Beat the butter in a bowl to make it creamy and then add the sugar and beat until thick and creamy.
3. Add the vanilla extract and chocolate to the mixture and stir until consistent in colour.
4. Either spread over the cupcakes or fill a piping bag and pipe away  .