Baking Heaven April 2020

Chocolate cacao

cupcakes

MAKES 12

For the cacao chocolate cupcakes

110g (3½oz) plain flour

90g (3oz) Food Thoughts 100%

Cacao Powder

200g (7oz) caster sugar

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

2 large free-range eggs, at room

temperature

120ml (4fl oz) buttermilk

120ml (4fl oz) sunflower oil

1 tsp vanilla extract

100ml (3½fl oz) hot water

1 Preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas Mark

4. Fill a 12-hole cupcake tray with
   cupcake cases.
   2 Mix all the wet ingredients together
   with an electric mixer until well blended.
   3 Sieve the flour, sugar and cacao
   powder into the above mixture, then stir
   to combine.
   4 Add the hot water and mix until you
   achieve a thin batter.
   5 Evenly distribute the mixture across
   the cupcake cases, allowing room for
   them to rise. Bake in the centre of the

oven for 15-20 minutes until cooked.

6 Allow the cupcakes to cool in the

tray for 5 minutes before removing

them to a wire rack to fully cool

before icing.

Tip You can put these in the fridge to

chill, or freeze them if you're making

them in advance, as they will be

easier to ice when cold.

To decorate:

For the Easter

bunnies

White cacao chocolate mint icing

120g (4oz) unsalted butter,

softened

300g (10½oz) icing sugar, sieved

150g (5½oz) Food Thoughts White

Chocolate Cacao Melts

green food colouring

1-2 tsp mint extract, to taste

1-2 tbsp milk (may be required if

your icing is too thick)

For the soil decoration

2 tbsp Food Thoughts Cocoa

Powder (or Food Thoughts

70% Cacao Melts, grated)

3 tbsp Food Thoughts Cacao Nibs

For the bunnies

150g (5½oz) Food Thoughts White

Chocolate Cacao Melts

12 large white marshmallows

Food Thoughts Dark 70% or 100%

Chocolate Cacao Melts, melted,

for the eyes and whiskers

chocolate/round pink candies for

noses

pink edible glitter for ear linings

12 fondant carrots

1 For the icing: Melt the white

chocolate cacao melts in a

microwaveable bowl or jug in

30-second increments, until it is

completely smooth. Leave to cool for

5-10 minutes, but make sure it does

not start to set.

2 Beat the butter with an electric whisk

until light in colour, then gradually add

the icing sugar. Pour in the melted white

chocolate and mix thoroughly. Add the

green food colouring and mint

flavouring. Mix thoroughly. Your icing

should be soft, but needs to hold its

form so that you can pipe it. If it is too

stiff, very gradually add 1-2 tbsp milk,

to loosen.

3 Put the icing in a piping bag and add

swirls to the top of the cooled

cupcakes. Crush some cacao nibs with

a little cacao powder or grated cacao

melts to create the soil, then sprinkle it

over the middle of the cupcake.

4 To make the bunnies: Draw around

a chocolate cacao melt onto baking

paper, then draw the ears. Repeat

12 times. Turn the paper over and use

melted white chocolate cacao to pipe

the ears – make them quite thick so

they don’t snap. Extend chocolate from

the ears into the face area, then place a

whole melt on top so that the ears and

head bind together. You can also pipe

feet in the same way. Chill.

Tip Watch a ‘how- to’ video at http://www.

foodthoughts.com/recipes

5 Use melted chocolate to attach

the noses, then pipe the eyes and

whiskers onto the faces.

Tip You can also use melted

chocolate to affix the finished bunny

face to a large marshmallow so they

sit upright.

Perfect for some

family baking!

18 baking heaven APRIL WWW.FOODHEAVENMAG.COM