Mars Bars Cupcakes
Makes 10 cupcakes or 30 mini cupcakes
INGREDIENTS
50g (13/4oz) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 tbsp golden syrup
260g (9oz) Mars bars, chopped into 1cm squares
150g (51/2oz) cornflakes
FOR THE ICING
90g (31/4oz) good-quality dark chocolate
115g (4oz) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 tbsp milk, at room temperature
1/2 tsp good-quality vanilla extract
125g (41/2oz) icing sugar, sifted
Easter chicks, bunnies, or small chocolate eggs
METHOD
1. Line a 12-hole muffin tray or three 12-hole mini muffin trays with cupcake cases.
2. Melt the butter and golden syrup in a saucepan over a low heat, stirring constantly.
3. Add the chopped Mars bars and keep stirring until just melted. Remove from the heat and gently fold in the cornflakes.
4. Press a spoonful of the mix loosely in each cupcake case and leave to cool and set.
5. To make the chocolate buttercream icing, melt the chocolate in a bowl in the microwave at 30-second intervals on medium power, stirring in between to avoid burning the chocolate until it is smooth. Or you can melt the chocolate in a heatproof glass bowl over a saucepan of barely simmering water, stirring occasionally until smooth. Leave to cool slightly.
6. In a large bowl, use a handheld electric whisk to beat the butter, milk, vanilla extract and icing sugar until smooth. Add the melted chocolate and beat again until thick. If it is too runny to use as icing, keep beating to thicken it.
7. Put a small amount of chocolate buttercream icing in the centre of each cooled cupcake.
8. Decorate with an Easter chick or a small chocolate egg (the cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container for about three days).
From Cupcakes From The Primrose Bakery by Martha Swift and Lisa Thomas (Kyle Cathie, £14.99).
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