Weekly Bake...Chocolate Mud Cupcakes

This week I thought I would share a recipe for delicious chocolate mud cupcakes. I love the ease of cupcakes, and that they are a little individual serve of sweet goodness.  When there is cake in my home, the size of the slices my children like to cut themselves are insane! So at least with cupcakes I can limit their cake intake!

I have tried this recipe a couple of times now and it is really easy, and so moist and delicious! Apparently the cupcakes also keep well and can be frozen (minus the frosting), though I couldn't tell you because they never last long enough in my home!

For the frosting/icing in this recipe I doubled it, only because I pipe the cupcakes and this tends to use a lot more icing.  If you are going to spread the icing, no need to double the recipe. I also use a gel food colour, as I find it doesn't change the consistency of the frosting. 

Ingredients

Cupcake
200g butter
250g dark chocolate
1/4 cup hot water
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup caster sugar
3 eggs, lightly beaten
3/4 cup self-raising flour
Frosting
125g butter, softened
1 1/2 cups icing sugar mixture
1 teaspoon vanilla extract          
1 tablespoon milk
Food colouring (I use a gel food colour)

Method

Cupcakes
Preheat oven to 160 degrees Celsius.
Place cupcake liners in cupcake tray.
Place butter, chopped chocolate and hot water in a heatproof, microwave-safe bowl.
Microwave, uncovered, on HIGH (100%) for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring every minute until smooth.
Add cocoa to warm chocolate mixture. Stir until smooth.
Stir in vanilla, caster sugar and eggs.
Sift flour over chocolate mixture. Stir gently to combine.
Pour mixture into cupcake liners.
Bake cupcakes for 15-20 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre of a chocolate mud cupcake has moist crumbs clinging.
Allow cupcakes to cool completely before icing.
Frosting
Using an electric mixer, beat butter in a bowl until pale. Gradually add icing sugar and milk, beating constantly until combined.  Add food colouring a little a time, until you have your desired colour.  If you want your frosting thicker for piping, add more icing sugar a little at a time until you have your desired consistency.