Chocolate Easter Cupcakes recipe

Prep and cooking time: 35 minutes plus cooling
Makes 12

Ingredients
For the cakes
100g /4oz Butter or Margarine, softened
100g /4oz Caster Sugar
2 Medium Eggs, lightly beaten
100g /4oz Self Raising Flour, sieved
25g /1oz Cocoa Powder
For the Topping
100g /4oz very soft Butter
225g /8oz Icing Sugar
1-2 tbsp Cocoa Powder
To decorate
1 x 100g/4oz packet Chocolate Mini Eggs

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 180C, 350F, Gas Mark 4 and place 12 paper cases into a 12-hole patty or cupcake tin.

2. Place the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl and cream together with a wooden spoon, hand whisk or in a food processor, until light and fluffy.

3. Beat in the eggs a little at a time until well incorporated. If the mixture begins to curdle, add a little flour.

4. Fold in the remaining flour and cocoa with a spatula until the mixture is well blended.

5. Place a heaped teaspoon of cake mixture into each paper case then bake for 15 - 20 minutes until well risen and firm to the touch. Remove from the oven and leave to cool on a cooling rack.

6. For the butter icing, place the butter in a large mixing bowl and beat with a wooden spoon until very soft. Sift in the icing sugar and cocoa powder and beat well with a wooden spoon until well mixed and very smooth.

7. Pipe or spread the butter icing onto the top of each cake then arrange three chocolate mini eggs in the centre of each.