Easter Chocolate Cupcakes

This Easter, gift something from the heart with these rich and fluffy Chocolate Nest Cupcakes, made using premium Grounded Pleasures cocoa. A recipe to savour, crafted by Kath from kulinaryadventuresofkath.com – and perfect gift for your loved ones, young and old-er.

Ingredients

• 125g unsalted butter, softened
• 155g Grounded Pleasures Panela sugar
• 1 tsp Grounded Pleasures Vanilla Extract
• 2 eggs
• 230g self-rising flour
• 2 tbsp Grounded Pleasures Straight Up Cocoa
• 105ml milk

Ingredients for the Icing

• 150g unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 200g icing sugar (confectioners’ sugar)
• 1 tbsp Grounded Pleasures Straight Up Cocoa
• 165g milk chocolate, melted
• Pastel Easter eggs, to decorate

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 160°C (fan-forced), and line a 12-hole cupcake tray with cupcake cases.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the self-rising flour and cocoa (sift the cocoa in), then set aside.
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter, panela sugar, and vanilla extract until light and fluffy.
4. Beat in the eggs one at a time, ensuring each is fully incorporated.
5. Add the flour mixture and milk and mix slowly until just combined.
6. Spoon the batter evenly into the cupcake cases, filling each about halfway.
7. Bake for 20 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean and the cupcakes spring back when lightly touched. Remove from the tray and cool on a wire rack.

To Make the Icing

1. In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the butter for 1–2 minutes or until pale and creamy.
2. Add the icing sugar and sift in the cocoa. Beat for another 1–2 minutes until the mixture is fluffy.
3. Add the melted chocolate (make sure it's slightly cooled to avoid melting the butter) and beat until fully combined.
4. Spoon the icing into a piping bag or a zip-lock bag with the corner snipped off, and pipe generous domes of icing onto each cupcake.
5. Use a spatula or palette knife to smooth the icing into a thick, even layer.
6. Decorate each cupcake with pastel Easter eggs to resemble little nests. Optional: sprinkle with shaved or finely chopped chocolate for added texture.