This is the same recipe as I used for the Lemon & Lime cupcakes last week, turned into a chocolate version. I wanted to post this version too for the benefit of anyone who might be searching for a chocolatey cupcake recipe, and also for the benefit of me as a reminder that this version works well too! I had made the Lemon & Lime ones for a work colleague who was leaving, and I made these chocolate ones for a work colleague’s birthday.

WHAT YOU NEED:

For the cupcakes

– 175g chilled butter
– 175g caster sugar
– 3 large eggs (straight from the fridge)
– 175g self raising flour, sifted
– 2 tablespoons milk
– 2 teaspoons natural vanilla extract/essence
– 200g chocolate chips (dark or milk, whatever your preference, I used a mixture of both, and actually I didn’t have any chips, so I cut up bars into small chunks)

For the frosting

– 200g white chocolate
– 125ml whipping or double cream
– 175g butter at room temperature
– 300g icing sugar, sifted
– 50g cocoa, sifted

WHAT YOU DO

For the cupcakes

As I mentioned on the Lemon & Lime cupcake recipe, I am favouring the method of using cold ingredients, as per this article.

1. Preheat oven to 170C/340F. Line a 12 hole muffin pan with paper cases.

2. Cut the cold butter into small pieces, place them in your electric mixer and mix on low speed for about 60 seconds until it is soft. Keeping it on low speed, slowly pour in the sugar, then turn up to medium and mix for 1-2 minutes until it has lightened a little and looks aerated, don’t over-cream. Scrape round the sides with a spatula.

3. With the mixer on low, add the eggs one at a time until incorporated. Add the vanilla, then mix. Add the flour, a bit at a time, alternating with a bit of the milk. Mix on low each time until just incorporated. Mix for a final 30 seconds at the end. Scrape round the bowl with a spatula, add the chocolate chips and mix them in by hand.

4. Divide mixture into your cases and bake for about 20 mins until cakes are risen and spring back to the touch. Transfer them to a cooling rack.

For the frosting

Make the first stage of the frosting while the cakes are cooking as you need to let it cool.

5. Break the white chocolate into pieces and place in a bowl with the cream over a pan of simmering water, don’t let the bowl touch the water.  Heat and stir until the chocolate is melted, leave to cool completely in the fridge.

6. With an electric mixer, whisk the cooled chocolate and cream mixture with the rest of the frosting ingredients until well incorporated and fluffy.

7. This time I did actually get out the piping bag and had a go at piping the frosting on top. This is definitely a skill I need to practice more, but overall I was pleased with the result. Again, as with the Lemon & Lime ones, I had quite a bit of frosting left over, but I consider that a good excuse to make another batch of cakes!