These colourful little cakes are perfect for afternoon tea, a bake sale or simply for just having a stash in the cupboard! Made with cream cheese frosting, they are the decadent treat that you need to try!
Ingredients
For the cupcakes
- 250g plain flour
- 2 tbsp baking powder
- 2 tbsp cocoa powder, sifted
- 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 100g soft unsalted butter
- 200g caster sugar
- 1 tbsp red food colouring
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 eggs
- 175ml buttermilk
- 1 tsp cider vinegar
For the frosting
- 500g icing sugar
- 125g cream cheese
- 125g soft unsalted butter
Method
- Preheat your oven to 170°C / 150°C Fan / Gas Mark 3, and line 2 x 12 hold muffin tins with paper cases.
- Combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda in a bowl and set to one side.
- Cream together the butter and sugar in a stand mixer and when you have a soft, pale mixture add in the vanilla and the food colouring.
- With the mixer still gently beating, add in 1 spoonful of your dry ingredients, followed by one egg, followed by half of the remaining dry ingredients, then the other egg. Then add in the rest of the dry ingredients.
- Finally, add in the buttermilk and the vinegar, then divide the mixture between the 24 cases. Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes, inserting a clean skewer into one of the cupcakes to check if it’s cooked. Leave to cool on a wire rack.
- Whilst the cakes are cooling, start making the icing by putting the icing sugar in a food processor and pulsing to remove any lumps.
- Add the cream cheese and butter and process to mix. Pour in the cider vinegar and process again until you have a smooth icing.
- Ice each cupcake and decorate as you see fit.
Lead image: BeckyBrockie via Getty images.