• Basic chocolate cupcakes

    Serves: 36 cupcakes
    Cooking Time: 30 mins

    Ingredients

    • 5ml (1 tsp) vanilla extract
    • 5ml (1 tsp) vinegar
    • 125ml (½ cup) milk
    • 190g butter
    • 340g sugar
    • 3 large eggs
    • 300g cake flour, sieved
    • 50g cocoa powder
    • 7,5ml (1½ tsp) bicarbonate of soda
    • 125ml (½ cup) boiling water

    Instructions

    1

    Preheat the oven to 180°C. Lightly grease three 12-hole muffin tins and line with cupcake cases.

    2

    Combine the vanilla extract, vinegar and milk.

    3

    Beat the butter and sugar until light and creamy. Add the eggs and the milk mixture (it will curdle but this is not a problem) and stir in the flour.

    4

    Dissolve the cocoa in a little hot water and add it to the mixture. Dissolve the bicarbonate of soda in the boiling water and add it to the mixture (it will froth up).

    5

    Spoon the mixture into the cupcake cases and bake for 15 minutes. Once cooked and cooled, use the recipe for mini spider’s web chocolate cupcakes (see F&HE October 2014, page 116) to turn these cupcakes into hauntingly delicious Halloween treats.