First Steps!

First post ever - exciting exciting! So the photo is a chocolate cupcake I made yesterday - apparently we've had so many Vanilla ones lately my family are sick of eating them (don't ask me how it's possible to get sick of cupcakes, I've never had this problem personally). These are far nicer than the recipe I usually use, really light and fluffy and not too sweet either. The icing is a bit funny, I think there's a bit much milk so I'm posting the one I usually use instead. It's the Magnolia Bakery Chocolate Buttercream and it is Divine.

Chocolate Cupcakes (makes a dozen)

150g flour

1t baking soda

1/2t baking powder

85ml hot water

1/4C cocoa

85ml cold water

70g butter, softened

185g caster sugar

1egg

1T golden syrup

1t vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 170 degrees Celsius and line a 12 hole tray with papers.

Sift flour, baking soda and baking powder into a small bowl. In a seperate bowl whisk hot water and cocoa until smooth then add cold water and whisk to combine.

In an electric mixer cream butter until smooth, then add caster sugar and egg, beating until fluffy. Add golden syrup and vanilla then beat until combined.

Add half the flour, beating on low speed until combined, then half the cocoa mixture. Repeat until you have a smooth batter but be careful not to over beat. Divide mixture between papers and bake for 25 minutes or until a skewer stuck in the middle comes out clean.

While they are baking make the buttercream by melting 110g of bittersweet chocolate then pouring it into 150g creamed butter. Add a tablespoon of milk , a splash of vanilla essence and - gradually - 1 heaped cup of icing sugar. Depending on how you like your frosting you may need to add a little more icing sugar or milk; I find that for piping it's better to have it a little firmer.