Chocolate Cupcakes

These chocolate cupcakes ‘pack a punch, literally… They’re loaded with popping candy! They’re also seriously chocolatey; chocolate sponge with chocolate chunks, check. A disc of chocolate between the sponge and the frosting, check. Frosting loaded to the brink with cocoa, check. And a chocolate flake and sprinkles to top it off, double check! If you’re looking for a normal choc cupcake recipe, there are simpler ones out there. If you’re looking for the ultimate in chocolate cupcakes, look no further!

Prep Time: 1.5 hr

Cook Time: 20 mins

Difficulty: Medium

Serves: 6 large / 12 small

Ingredients

Cupcake

  • Self Raising Flour - 130g

  • Cocoa Powder - 40g

  • Baking Powder - 1 tsp

  • Baking Soda - 0.5 tsp

  • Caster Sugar - 80g

  • Golden Caster Sugar - 80g

  • Eggs - 2

  • Olive Oil - 130ml

  • Creme Fraiche - 130g

  • (Optional) Milk Chocolate Chips - 40g

  • (Optional) Vanilla paste - 1 tsp

Popping Candy (Optional)

  • (Optional) Popping Candy - 40g

  • (Optional) Milk Chocolate - 75g

Icing (or by 400g of Chocolate Icing)

  • Unsalted Butter (room temperature) - 200g

  • Icing Sugar - 200g

  • Cocoa Powder - 50g

  • (Optional) Vanilla Paste - 1 tbsp

  • Milk - to loosen

Toppings (Optional)

  • (Optional) Chocolate Sprinkles

  • (Optional) Flake - 2 to 3

  • (Optional) Glacier Cherries - 1 for each cupcake

Method

Chocolate Cupcakes Step One - Dry Mix

Line a muffin tin with paper cases and preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F).

Add to a mixing bowl the; flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and baking soda.

Using a fork, stir to combine.

 

Chocoalte Cupcakes Step Two - Wet Mix

In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together until combined the; sugars, eggs, olive oil, and creme fraiche (plus vanilla paste if you’re using it).

 

Chocoalte Cupcakes Step THree - I Fold!

Using a spatula, fold the half the wet mix into the dry mix, until combined. Then fold in the other half of the wet mix.

If using chocolate chips, then fold those in at this stage.

Spoon the mixture to half fill each of the paper cases.

Place in the oven for 20-25 minutes, until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean (noting that there are chocolate chips in there, so you’ll need to differentiate between what is undercooked cake batter and melted chocolate).

Once cooked, remove and leave to cool.

 

Chocoalte Cupcakes Step Four - The dynamite!

If you’re using popping candy, wait until the cakes have cooled / moisture evaporated (as this will set off the popping candy). Then, using you finger, press into the middle of the cake to created a recess for the popping candy to sit in.

Pour as much popping candy into the hole as you dare… (A teaspoon is a good starting point, use more if you like though).

 

Chocoalte Cupcakes Step Five - Chocolate Glue

Again, you can skip this step if you’re not using popping candy. If you are though, you need to seal the popping candy from the moisture in the air (otherwise it will have given up it’s popping before you get to eat it). To do that, we coat it in chocolate.

Break the chocolate into pieces and place in a heatproof bowl over simmering water. Allow the chocolate to melt (try not to stir too much).

Once melted remove from the heat and place on a cool surface to cool down. Once it’s cooled a little, but is still liquid, pour over the popping candy / cupcake, and place them in the fridge to set.

 

Chocoalte Cupcakes Step Six - Frosty

Frosting

If you’re making your own frosting, place the icing sugar and cocoa powder in a large mixing bowl.

Cube the room temperature butter and add to the bowl.

On a very low speed, whisk to combine, increasing the speed once the powder’s started to incorporate (if you whisk too fast at the start you’ll get engulfed in a cloud of stick icing sugar!).

Wisk in the vanilla paste (if using) and whisk in a teaspoon of milk at a time until the frosting is at your desired consistency.

 

Chocoalte Cupcakes Step Seven - Topping it off

Topping

Using a spoon transfer the frosting to a piping bag with a start nozzle fitted. Giggling the bag as you go to stop air pockets forming.

Then pipe the frosting onto each cupcake, working you way in circles, building up each layer.

You should have enough to add quite a lot of frosting, and considering how decadent these cakes are, I’d go for it with the frosting!

 

Chocoalte Cupcakes Step Eight - Chocolate Cupcakes

Chocolate Cupcakes

Time to top it all off.

Chop the flakes into 3 equal sections (they’re too long to fit in the cupcake otherwise). Place 1 section in each cupcake, give the cupcakes a coating of sprinkles, then it’s time for the (glacier) ‘cherry on the cake’.

And that’s it, hope you enjoy!