Chocolate Cupcakes or Mini Loaves



Ingredients

For the cake:

  • 200g caster sugar
  • 125g plain flour
  • 60g cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 large egg
  • 100ml buttermilk 
  • 3 tablespoons hot coffee 
  • 65ml vegetable oil or light olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

For the chocolate fudge icing:

  • 225g unsalted butter, softened
  • 150g icing sugar
  • 60g cocoa powder
  • 50ml sour cream, warmed to room temperature
  • 3 tablespoons hot water
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • pinch fine sea salt
  • 140g good quality 70% dark chocolate such as Valrhona https://inter.valrhona.com/en

Method:

  1. Preheat oven to 180c.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the sugar, flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt, mixing until thoroughly combined. Add the egg, buttermilk, coffee, oil, and vanilla and beat with a hand mixer on medium speed until all the ingredients are incorporated. Fill each mini loaf case with the batter no more than 2/3 full.
  3. Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out just clean. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack until completely cold.
  4. While the cakes are cooling melt the chocolate in a bowl over a pan of simmering water, and then put to one side until lukewarm.
  5. Beat the butter on a medium speed of a hand mixer until it’s very pale and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Sift the icing sugar and cocoa powder into the butter and mix to combine. Add the sour cream, hot water, vanilla and salt and mix on low speed until everything is incorporated, scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat until smooth, another 2-3 minutes. Add the lukewarm chocolate and mix until smooth and glossy.
  6. Pipe onto the cooled cakes. And add some sprinkles of your choice
close-alt close collapse comment ellipsis expand gallery heart lock menu next pinned previous reply search share star