CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES
350 g (2 1/3 cups) plain flour
2 tablespoon cocoa powder
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
315 g (1 ½ cups) caster sugar
250 ml (1 cup) buttermilk
185 ml (¾ cup) vegetable oil
2 eggs
3 teaspoons red food colouring
2 teaspoons white vinegar
100’s/1000’s or anything you want to decorate
250 g packet cream cheese, at room temperature
100 g butter, at room temperature
195 g (1 ¼ cups) pure icing sugar, sifted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 180°C.
Line eighteen 80 ml (1/3-cup) capacity muffin pans with paper cases. Sift the flour, cocoa powder, bicarbonate of soda and baking powder into a large bowl. Stir in the sugar.
Whisk the buttermilk, oil, eggs, food colouring and vinegar in a jug until combined. Make a well in the centre of the flour mixture. Add the buttermilk mixture and stir until just combined.
Divide the mixture among the prepared pans. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centres comes out clean. Transfer the cupcakes to a wire rack to cool completely.
To make the cream cheese frosting, use an electric beater to beat the cream cheese, butter, icing sugar and vanilla in a bowl until smooth.
Pipe the icing over the cupcakes and top with the sprinkles.
Photo: Petra Pretorius
