With Easter quite literally around the corner I have been in the kitchen with every spare moment I have (in between days full of revision and running around doing errands!). I wanted to put up a recipe for an Easter cake a couple of weeks prior to Easter, however, life appears to have gotten on top of me. I am planning on making a Simnel cake tomorrow but in the meantime I have been able to bake both Easter biscuits and Easter cupcakes. Today I have decided to share how I made the cupcakes as they are a super easy last minute treat!
You Will Need-
175g Butter
165g Caster sugar
3 Eggs
40g Cocoa powder
125g Self raising flour
1 tsp Baking powder
2 bags of mini eggs of your choosing.
The oven needs to be pre-heated to 180 degrees Celsius.
Method
In a bowl beat the butter until it becomes creamy and then add the sugar and beat again until combined and fluffy.
One by one add the eggs into the mixture and mix together until combined.
Once the eggs are combined with the butter and sugar add the cocoa powder, flour and baking powder and then fold together.
Fill the cupcake cases evenly and put in the oven for about 15 minutes, each oven is slightly different so keep an eye on them to make sure they don't get over or under baked. The cakes are done when they are springy to touch and a skewer comes out clean.
After the cakes have cooled you will need to make the icing. I don't like to use measurements for icing because I tend to end up with too much and it goes to waste so I do this bit by eye. Put about half a stick (roughly 125g) of butter (it is best to use real butter here as opposed to margarine because this will give the best consistency and taste) in a bowl and beat until creamy. It is best to do this when the butter is at room temperature otherwise you will be mixing it for ages and I prefer to use a hand whisk to make it extra smooth and it is also quicker to use! Once the butter is creamy, add icing sugar until you like the taste of the icing, for me this usually ends up being the exact amount I need because the quantity will depend on how much butter you use. Once the icing is mixed to suit your taste and is a pipe-able consistency. Split the icing into two bowls and add cocoa powder to one to make chocolate icing. If the icing is too stiff at any point throughout this process, add a dash of milk. Now using a flower nozzle in a piping bag pipe the icing onto the cupcakes, white icing on one half and the chocolate icing on the other half. Now add mini-eggs to your liking! I added 3 smarties eggs on each one (there were no mini-eggs in the shop but I ended up loving the brightly coloured ones).
Now you can eat the cupcakes and enjoy!Have a wonderful Easter.
Lucy x
