Mint Chocolate Cupcakes with handmade chocolate flowers

With great success yesterday, l couldn't wait to try another recipe from my new Divine Cupcake Book.

The next one on the list was Mint Chocolate Cupcakes, these were made for a friend who loves anything to do with mint and chocolate.

I decorated the cupcakes with chocolate ganache and some handmade chocolate flowers.

Once again l halved this recipe as it make 24.

140g dark chocolate

330ml water

4 tblsp Cocoa

300g self-raising flour

2/3 cup ground almonds

180g butter, softened

400g brown sugar

4 eggs

1 1/2 tsp peppermint essence

Pre Heat oven to 170'C

Melt chocolate and water together in a small saucepan

Sift Cocoa, Flour and ground almonds together

Beat butter and sugar together until light, add eggs one at a time beating well after each addition. Add peppermint essence.

Stir in the dry ingredients, then add the cooled Chocolate mix and blend until smooth.

Divide mixture evenly between cases and cook for 30 minute.

Chocolate Ganache

400g Dark Chocolate

375ml Cream

Melt the Chocolate and Cream over a saucepan of simmering hot water. Stir to combine, once combined remove from heat and let cool.

I would love the hear your comments and suggestions, so please feel free to leave some feedback.

Enjoy!

Yx

Banana Rama

I received this beautiful Cupcake Book called Divine Cupcakes from my mum for my birthday, it has some really lovely recipes that l couldn't wait to try.

I had some bananas that were very ripe and needed to be used, and they had a perfect Banana Chocolate Cupcake recipe.

I was a bit worried that they would be like a muffin, but l was surprised at how light and fluffy they were. I made some little bananas out of the leftover icing from school, and painted the ends with some food die to give it an authentic look.

I halved this recipe because it makes 24.

450g Plain Flour

30g Cocoa

2 tsp of baking powder

2 tsp of baking soda

60ml of milk

225g butter

440g sugar

2 eggs

400g over-ripe bananas

2 tsp vanilla essence ( I used vanilla bean paste)

Pre-Heat Oven to 150'C and line the muffin trays

Sift the Flour, Cocoa and Baking Powder together

Dissolve the baking soda in the milk

Cream the butter and sugar together until light

Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Beat in the sifted flours and the the mashed bananas, vanilla and milk.

Divide mixture amongst cases and bake for 25 minutes.

Once Cooked, cool and then ice with the below Buttercream Icing

90g Butter, softened

1 cup Icing Sugar

3 tblsp sifted Cocoa Powder

1 tsp Vanilla

1 tblsp milk

Put the butter in the bowl and cut into small pieces. Beat hard with wooden spoon and stir until soft and creamy. Sift the sugar and cocoa powder into the bowl a little at a time, mixing well with butter. Then stir in the milk.

I would love to hear your comments and suggestions, so please feel free to leave some feedback.

Enjoy!

Yx

Cake Decorating School begins

Well last night was the first class of my 6 week course at MerryDay Cakes, I had a blast. Apparently the first lesson is the most basic, we learnt how to colour Pettinice (aka fondant) and make icing shapes on wires. These shapes will then be used as a cake topper for our two tier cake.

We all had to make 25 shapes using varying cutter, I'm making this cake for my niece so l decided to go with her favorite colours purple and yellow. We had two hours to make the shapes, many people finished within an hour eeek by that stage l had only made 4. You could call me a slow coach, but l prefer perfectionist.

Next week we are icing the cake board and putting together the cake topper, I can't wait!

Enjoy! Y x