Ingredients

50g/ 1.75 oz / 0.5 cup

organic Fairtrade cocoa powder

115ml/ 4 fl oz / 1/2 cup

boiling water

125ml/ 4.5 fl oz / 1/2 cup

milk

175g/ 6 oz / 1 1/3 cups

organic self raising flour

115g/ 4oz / 0.5 cup

organic butter, softened

200g/ 7oz / 1 cup

organic golden caster sugar

large free range eggs

2tsp

Steenbergs organic Fairtrade Vanilla Extract

120g/ 4 oz

dark cooking chocolate

150g/5.25 oz

butter, softened

160g/ 5.25 oz

organic icing sugar

1tsp

Steenbergs organic Fairtrade Vanilla Extract

Dark chocolate strands or edible gold

Axel wanted to create a luxurious chocolate cupcake that went well with loads of Steenbergs products but also wanted to be able to include edible gold as an alternative topping sprinkle. Hope you will love it.

Method

Mix the boiling water, milk and organic cocoa powder together until they form a smooth paste. The best way to do this is a tablespoon to the cocoa powder first and throughly mix. Then add a little more and mix until smooth and then add half the rest and whisk until smooth, followed by the remainder.
Sieve the organic self raising flour.
In a bowl, cream together the butter and caster sugar until light and creamy using an electric whisk or hand mixer. Then add the free range eggs, one at a time and alternating with a tablespoon of the organic self raising flour, until smooth. Add the Steenbergs organic Fairtrade vanilla extract and milk in well, then add the cooled cocoa mixture and stir until smooth.
Fill each muffin cup until two-thirds full with muffin mixture and bake for 15 - 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and leave to sit for 10 minutes, then tip the muffins onto a wire rack to cool.
For the icing, melt the dark chocolate over simmering water and leave to cool. With an electric mixer, beat the butter until smooth and creamy, then add the organic icing sugar until light and fluffy. Now add the Steenbergs Fairtrade vanilla extract and then add in the runny dark chocolate and mix well together.
Put the topping on either with a small spatula, or for the really professional look use a star tip andyour piping set. Then sprinkle either dark chocolate strands or some of the gold pieces over the top.
Then sit back and enjoy.