Chocolate Almond Cup Cakes
Makes : 12
Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 15-18 minutes, plus cooling
Ingredients
- 250g dark muscovado sugar
- 250g butter, softened
- 4 eggs
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 100g ground almonds
- 100g gluten free self-raising flour, or regular self- raising flour
- 50g cocoa powder, sieved
- 2 tbsp milk
Ingredients for topping:
- 150g butter, softened
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 225g icing sugar, sieved
- 75g cocoa powder, sieved
- 1 orange, juiced
- 5 Aero mint bubbles
Ingredients for icing:
- 50g icing sugar, sieved
- 1-2 tsp orange juice
Method
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Preheat the oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas mark 4. Line a 12 hole muffin tin with paper cases.
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Tip the sugar and softened butter into a large bowl and beat until soft, fluffy and lighter in colour. (You can use an electric whisk or wooden spoon, depending how soft the butter is.)
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Beat in the eggs, one at a time until incorporated, then fold in the ground almonds and mix well.
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Fold in the gluten free self-raising flour and cocoa powder and mix well until smooth, then stir in the milk until the batter is just dropping from the spoon really easily.
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Divide between the paper cases in the cupcake tin then place in the oven to bake for 15-18 minutes until risen and firm when pressed gently in the middle.
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Remove and allow to cool in the tin until cold.
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Meanwhile, tip the softened butter, vanilla extract, icing sugar and cocoa powder into a large bowl and beat until really soft. Stir in the orange juice and beat until smooth and spreadable.
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Spread over the top of the cold cupcakes evenly, leaving a slightly ruffled finish.
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Stir the orange juice into the last lot of icing sugar to make a runny icing. Spoon into a small piping bag, snip the end off and pipe HAPPY EASTER on 11 of the cupcakes, then make a flower with the Aero mint bubbles on the last one.
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Arrange on a tray in order, spelling out HAPPY EASTER and serve.
