Chocolate Smarty Cakes

Chocolate Smartie Cakes

Very sweet and rich, but rather tasty. I always like them when they are a day old and the smarties have gone a bit soft.










Recipe:

• 100g plain flour
• 20g cocoa powder (I use cadbury bourneville)
• 140g caster sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• a pinch of salt
• 40g unsalted butter 
• 120ml whole milk
• 1 egg
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
• chocolate drops/bar of choclate cut up
• smarties to decorate
• 
  
• Butter cream:

• 110g/4oz butter, softened
• 170g/6oz icing sugar
• 55g/2oz cocoa powder, sifted
• 1-2 tbsp milk
  
  

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 170C(325F)Gas 3
2. Mix the flour,cocoa powder,sugar,baking powder, salt and butter.
3. Whisk the milk,egg,and vanilla extract together in a jug ,then slowly pour about half into the flour mixture, beat to combine until the mixture is smooth. Mix in chocolate drops or broken chocolate bar.
4. Spoon the mixture into the paper cases until two-thirds full and bake for 20-25 minutes, (until the sponge bounces back when touched) A skewer inserted in the center should come out clean.
5. Leave the cupcakes to cool slightly in the tray before turning out onto a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
6. mix the butter cream: beat the butter in a large bowl until soft. Add half of the icing sugar and beat until smooth.Add the remaining icing sugar, cocoa powder and one tablespoon of the milk and beat until creamy. Beat in more milk if necessary to loosen the icing.
7. When cooled, spread the icing on and decorate with smarties (or other available sugar coated chocolate confectionery) as desired.