Spooky Halloween Chocolate Velvet Cupcakes!

I have confessed before about my love of cookery books, am always happy when I have a lovely new one to look through and a cup of coffee in my hand, throw in a slice of cake and I may as well be in heaven! The Great British Bake Off arrived during the week and what a gorgeous book it is, loads of stuff in it that I want to make and eat. Isaac (3) thinks that John our postman is brilliant as he is always bringing parcels to us, he has not quite grasped the whole middle man situation as of yet! Well I hope wherever you are that you have just as generous a postman as we do!

Chocolate muffins are always a big hit here with adults and kids alike so when I spotted the recipe for Chocolate Velvet Cupcakes I decided that I would try them. I have never used melted chocolate in a cupcake recipe before its usually cocoa powder however I don't think there is any going back after trying these!

Ingredients (makes 12)

• 175ml semi skimmed milk
• 150g self raising flour, sieved
• 125g caster sugar
• 100g dark chocolate (at least 70% cocoa)
• 60g unsalted butter
• 1 large egg, room temperature, beaten
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 180 degrees

Place cupcake cases in a 12 hole muffin tin

Heat milk, chopped chocolate and one third of the sugar in a saucepan over a low heat

Remove from heat as soon as it is melted and give it a good stir to combine

Beat the butter until creamy

Add sugar and vanilla and beat till light and fluffy

Gradually add the beaten egg

Next add a third of the flour and stir, followed by a third of the melted chocolate mixture and so on until everything is in the one bowl.

Fill the cases with a ice cream scoop

Bake for 15-18 minutes until well risen

Leave to cool for two minutes before cooling completely on a wire rack



Buttercream Icing

When i make buttercream icing I never really measure anything but just combine in a bowl until I achieve the taste and texture I am looking for so all measurements here are approximate and to my taste.

100g butter

100g icing sugar

1 tbsp cocoa powder, sieved

Beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy

Add the cocoa powder and beat to combine

At this stage you can smear the cupcake with the buttercream or else level of the top of them and pipe it on. I used a Wilton 1m nozzle to decorate mine. I started off on the outside of the cake and worked inwards to the middle then piped another swirl on top of this. I used little plastic Halloween figures to top some of them which the kids absolutely loved and I left the rest plain. Totally delicious and most definitely on the "make again" list!