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    Halloween monster chocolate cupcakes

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    Halloween monster chocolate cupcakes

    These are great for Halloween! 

    • Children's
    • Preparation time: 30 minutes + cooling
    • Cooking time: 25-30 minutes

    Serves: 12

    Ingredients

    200g caster sugar
    175g plain flour
    50g cocoa
    1½ tsp baking powder
    ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
    100ml sunflower oil
    2 Waitrose British Blacktail Large Free Range Eggs
    2 tbsp soured cream

    EYEBALLS
    100g white fondant icing
    12 brown chocolate M & M’s
    Red liquid food colouring (not gel or paste)

    BUTTERCREAM
    125g caster sugar
    2 Waitrose British Blacktail Large Free Range Egg whites
    ½ tsp vanilla extract
    Pinch of salt
    150g unsalted butter, softened and at room temperature
    Green food colouring paste (or gel)

     

    Method

    1 Preheat the oven to 170ºC, gas mark 3, and line a 12-hole muffin tin with paper cases. Sift the sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and a pinch of salt into a large mixing bowl. Add the sunflower oil, eggs and soured cream and beat until smooth. Add 125ml boiling water and beat again to combine.

    2 Divide evenly between the paper cases. Bake for 20-22 minutes until well risen and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Leave to cool for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

    3 Meanwhile, roll the fondant into 12 even sized balls and press one M & M into each, to make eyeballs. Dip a wooden skewer or cocktail stick into the red food colouring and draw veins on each eyeball. Leave to dry.

    4 For the buttercream, tip the sugar into a 2 litre heatproof mixing bowl or stand-mixer bowl. Add the egg whites, 2 tbsp cold water, vanilla and salt. Warm the bowl over a pan of simmering water – without the bowl touching the water. Using a balloon whisk, beat constantly for 5 minutes or until the sugar has dissolved, the meringue has doubled in volume, leaves a ribbon trail and is hot to the touch. Remove the bowl from the heat, and whisk with an electric mixer until the meringue is cold.

    5 Gradually add the softened butter 1 tbsp at a time, whisking well between each addition. When all of the butter has been added the frosting may start to look a little curdled. If this is the case, continue to whisk and it will come back together. Add the green food paste or gel. Scoop the frosting into a piping bag fitted with a 4-5mm plain nozzle.

    6 If the cupcakes have a very domed top, slice off a little to level it. Pipe the buttercream in a haphazard, wiggly fashion over the top of each to completely cover them. Top with a fondant eyeball and serve.

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