Freddo Cupcakes

Ingredients

• For the Cupcakes
• Unsalted Butter / Stork (150g)
• Caster Sugar (150g)
• Self Raising Flour (125g)
• Cocoa Powder (25g)
• 3 Medium Eggs (150g)
• Vanilla Extract (1 teaspoon)
• For the Ganache
• Double Cream (100ml)
• Dark Chocolate (50g)
• Milk Chocolate (50g)
• Unsalted Butter (1 tablespoon)
• For the Buttercream and Decoration
• Unsalted Butter (150g)
• Icing Sugar (300g)
• Milk Chocolate - Melted (175g)
• Boiling Water (1-2 tablespoons)
• Freddos (12 Freddos)

Method

• For the Cupcakes

1. Heat oven to 180°C. Line a cupcake tray with 12 cupcake cases.
2. Cream the butter/stork and caster sugar together until light and fluffy.
3. Add the eggs and vanilla extract and sieve in the flour and cocoa powder. Mix until smooth.
4. Divide the mixture evenly between the 12 cupcake cases. Bake for 18-20 minutes (I baked mine for 18) until the cupcakes have become domed, are springy, and a skewer/toothpick comes out clean.
5. Allow to cool for a minute in the cupcake tray, then transfer the cupcakes in their cases to a wire cooling rack. Allow to fully cool before decorating with buttercream.

• For the Ganache

1. Break up the milk and dark chocolate in to pieces and place in a heatproof bowl. Set aside.
2. Heat double cream and butter until simmering in a heavy saucepan - stir every 15 seconds or so while waiting for it to simmer!
3. Pour the cream on top of the chocolate and let sit for 5 minutes. Then stir the cream and chocolate until smooth and fully combined.
4. While waiting for the the ganache to cool for a few minutes core the cupcakes.
5. Add the ganache to a small piping bag, and pipe in to the cored cupcakes - I did this until the brim and discarded (okay, ate) the removed piece of cake.

• For the Buttercream and Decoration

1. Melt the milk chocolate in a heatproof bowl over boiling water and set aside to cool slightly.
2. Beat room temperature butter for a couple of minutes using a hand or stand mixure until the butter has softened.
3. Add in the icing sugar, and beat till smooth and the mixture has softened and turned lighter in colour.
4. Add the melted milk chocolate and beat for another couple of minutes. Add 1-2 tablespoons of boiling water if the mixture is too firm to loosen it up. Be careful, don't add too much - a little goes a long way!
5. Use a spatula to add the buttercream to a large piping bag with a 2D Closed Star Piping tip.
6. Pipe buttercream roses on to each cupcake and finish with a freddo for decoration!

Notes

• - For a plain vanilla sponge remove the 25g of Cocoa Powder and add 25g of self raising flour.
• - If you prefer a richer ganache it can be made with 100g of dark choc and 100ml double cream!