Chocolate brownie cupcakes

Cupcakes are traditionally very sweet and the method of preparation is different to that of muffins. With cupcakes, butter and sugar are normally creamed first then the flavourings, eggs, liquid and flour are added. With muffins, the dry ingredients are combined separately from the wet ingredients then both are combined until just moistened. Wafer flowers are available from the cake decorating area of your supermarket.

Ingredients

125 g	Unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 cup	Sugar
½ cup	Milk
2 large	Eggs
1 tsp	Vanilla essence
½ cup	Dark cocoa powder (Main)
1 ¼ cups	Plain flour
¾ tsp	Baking powder
½ tsp	Salt

For the chocolate icing

100 g	Unsalted butter, softened
⅓ cup	Dark cocoa powder
2 cups	Icing sugar (Main)
3 Tbsp	Milk
1 tsp	Vanilla essence

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Line a 10 to 12-hole cupcake pan with paper cases.
2. Beat the butter and sugar together for 2 minutes — preferably using an electric mixer. Add the milk, eggs, and vanilla. Mix well.
3. Sift the cocoa powder, flour, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Add to the butter combo and mix until just combined.
4. Spoon into the cupcake cases. Bake for 20 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.
5. To prepare the icing, beat the butter and cocoa powder in a deep bowl, until smooth. Sift in the icing sugar, then add the milk and vanilla. Beat until light and fluffy. Add a little more milk, if too thick. Pipe or spread over the cold cupcakes.
6. Great garnished with wafer flowers or chocolate hail.

More of Jan's cupcakes, muffins & friands

• Not nana's bran muffins
• GF Boysenberry friands