Valentine Flower Cupcakes

From Collis Bakes

Ingredients

Cupcakes

• 130 g butter
• 230 g caster sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 125 g self-raising flour
• 125 g plain flour
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 120 ml semi-skimmed milk
• 12 chunks of dark chocolate

Icing

• 500 g icing sugar
• 60 ml milk
• 150 g butter
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Red food colouring
• Chocolate sprinkles
• 120 style piping tip
• Plastic piping bag

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 160°C and line a cupcake tin with 12 cases.
2. To make the cakes, cream together the butter and sugar and add the eggs. In a separate bowl mix together the baking powder and both flours. In another bowl mix together the vanilla extract and milk. Gradually add the dry mix to the batter and combine. Add the milk.
3. Fill each cupcake case half full with the mixture and press a dark chocolate piece on top. Place in the oven for 25 minutes. Once baked, leave on a cooling rack for 40 minutes.
4. For the icing, cream together the butter, vanilla extract, milk and some of the icing sugar. Beat for 3 minutes then add the rest of the icing sugar. Cut off the end of the piping bag, and put the tip in the hole. Smear some red food colouring down one side of the bag and then put in the icing.
5. Holding the icing bag in one hand and a cupcake in the other, place the tip on the side of the cupcake and squeeze moving the tip up and down until you have a circle of petals. Place some sprinkles in the inside of the circles.
6. And … enjoy!

Photo by: Sarah Louise Ramsay