Best Chocolate Cup Cakes - Kiwi Style

A community recipe by tvdinners

Not tested or verified by Nigella.com

Introduction

I like baking because I have a secret, simplifying, weapon. Like a long lost notebook of essential recipes for the New Zealand farm, The Edmond's 'Sure to Rise' Cookery Book is a classic in New Zealand, the fastest selling book ever, still given to newlyweds and my battered go-to recipe book. It's simple and still in print after over one hundred years, cannot be argued with. My version of their basic cup cakes are miles away from those dry, mean little patty cakes of vanilla essence flavour, jazzed up with sickly sweet icing. Forget anything with preservatives, these are chocolate, soft, moist and ready in 15 minutes.

Ingredients

Serves: 12 generous cup cakes

4 ounces butter
1 teaspoon best vanilla extract
½ cup superfine sugar
2 eggs
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
¼ cup milk

Method

Best Chocolate Cup Cakes - Kiwi Style is a community recipe submitted by tvdinners and has not been tested by Nigella.com so we are not able to answer questions regarding this recipe.

Preheat oven to 190 degrees.
Cream butter, vanilla and sugar with a wooden spoon until light and fluffy.
Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Sift flour and baking powder and cocoa powder for chocolate cup cakes.
Fold into creamed mixture. Stir in milk. Place paper cases in your muffin tin and spoon mixture into each case. I use a dessert spoon for each of my cup cakes and get 12 large cup cakes.
Bake at 190 degrees C for 12-15 minutes, until cakes spring back when lightly touched. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Additional Information

VARIATIONS - You can make plain cupcakes by following the ingredient list above. To easily adapt the cup cakes: ORANGE - omit the vanilla and add 2 teaspoons of grated orange. CHOCOLATE For my favourite, chocolate, remove 2 TBsp flour and replace with 2 generously heaped tablespoons of cocoa powder (pref. Cadbury or Green & Blacks). Add a tablespoon of soured cream too if you have it in the house. Feel free to use margarine in place of butter or low fat milk, medium or large egges as this is a very forgiving recipe that you can play around with. Note - a cup contains 250 mls.

ICING In these pictures I have melted milk chocolate in the microwave then drizzled it over the cakes with a spoon, but mostly I make a ganache in a small non stick saucepan with chocolate (your choice, dark or milk or even white) with single cream and a splodge of golden syrup. Melt together then ice the cup cakes. The ganache will harden slightly as it cools.