Chocolate Cupcakes (Mehezabin and Shraddha)

Chocolate Cupcakes, makes 15

• 150ml sunflower oil
• 75ml buttermilk
• 75ml milk
• 1 egg
• 240g plain flour
• 40g cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 330g caster sugar
• 150ml boiling water

Chocolate Cupcake Icing

• 200g dark couverture chocolate (60-70% cocoa solids), finely chopped
• 100g butter, softened
• 250g cream cheese, softened
• 500g icing sugar
• Silver cachous, to decorate 

   Method: 
Preparation: 35 minutes

Cooking: 20 minutes

1. For chocolate cupcakes, increase oven temperature to 190°C. Line 15 cupcake holes with paper cases.

2. Whisk oil, buttermilk, milk and egg in a large bowl until combined. Sift flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt together, then stir in the sugar. Add 1/3 of the dry ingredients into the oil mixture, alternating with the boiling water. Spoon into 12 – 14 cupcake cases (the mixture will be quite runny) and bake for 18 – 20 minutes or until risen, and springy to the touch. Cool on a rack. 


3. For icing, melt chocolate in a bowl placed over a saucepan of simmering water. Set aside to cool. Place butter and cream cheese in an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, and mix until combined. Check there are no lumps from the cream cheese – if so, beat for a little longer. Add icing sugar then the cooled melted chocolate and mix until well combined. Scrape the sides of the bowl with a spatula if necessary. Add extra icing sugar if required – check the consistency of the icing first. Pipe onto the cooled cupcakes and decorate with silver cachous.