Simple Chocolate Cupcakes and Chocolate Glaze Icing

Finally, first ever cupcakes recipe in this blog. YAAYY!!!! I loves chocolates so I decided to use chocolate as my first cupcakes experiment.

I used 50cents coin shape of cupcake cups which is available in Woolworth, 200 cups for $2 and the sprinkles cost me $1.65. Since this is my first experience making cupcakes ever i decided to buy 'cheap stuff '.

And the best thing about this recipe is that it doesn't need electric cake mixer (obviously i don't own 1).


CHOCOLATE CUP CAKES

Makes approx 40 (50 cents coins shape) or 14 (normal size )

Ingredients :-

• 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 1 cups sugar
• 3 tbsp cocoa powder
• 1 cup milk
• 125g butter, roughly chopped
• 11/2 cups self raising/rising flour
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. I use fan forced oven. For non fan forced it is usually 10 to 20°C higher.
2. In a large saucepan, mix bicarb soda, sugar and cocoa powder. Then add milk and butter. Heat (medium low) and stir until combined and put away from stove to let it cool a little.
3. While waiting for the chocolate mixture to cool line the cupcakes cups on a baking tray, sift the self raising flour, lightly beaten the eggs. 
4. Now,  pour the chocolate mixture into a large mixing bowl and stir in lightly beaten egg and sifted self raising flour. I stir in the flour in 4 batches. After every batch I used a large wooden spoon (you can use any large spoon really) and stir gently to combine. 
5. Fill the mixture into cupcake cups up to two third (pour from the centre,for dome shape).
6. Place the baking tray into the oven. Turn down the temperature to 150°C and bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean. 
7. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Repeat with remaining mixture. 
8. When cool, decorate with chocolate icing and sprinkles.

TIPS:

• Difference between fan forced oven and non: 10 - 20°C difference. 
• If dome doesn't happen, once the mixture settled and flat, swirl with clean teaspoon for dome.
• Do not have to turn down the tempreture if your cupcake size is larger than 50cents coin shape. 
• Larger size cupcakes bake for 15 to 20 minutes.
• Cup cake can be kept about a week in an airtight container

CHOCOLATE GLAZE ICING

Here's the interesting FACTS; difference between Icing and Frosting.

Icing: thinner, glossier, more liquid, icing (confectionary sugar) combine with milk, slip or runs off the cake

Frosting: thicker in nature, like buttercream, soft, creamier, buttery flavour, can be mounded

HOWEVER, some people think these two terms can be interchange.

After much thought I called mine as Glaze (Frosting) Icing, hehehe :)

Ingredients:

• 1 cup icing sugar
• 2 tbsp cocoa powder
• 80g soft butter, room temperature
• 1/2 tsp vanilla essence
• 11/2 tbsp milk, hot

Method:-

1. Sift together icing sugar and cocoa powder
2. Add soft butter and vanilla essence
3. Pour in hot milk and beat / mix well. If you beat the mixture it will turn out fluffier. You may use wooden spoon or large spoon to beat.
4. Feel free to spread on you cupcake or pipe in out (I pipe out mine). 

TIPS:

• Use sandwich bag or anything similar, fill it up wit glaze icing, cut a smal outlet at the tip of the bag (and squeeze (pipe)  it out. Decorate or draw whatever you like.

• Why icing sugar and not caster sugar ? Icing sugar not only have finer sugar but it also contains cornstarch(thickener) to hold the icing or frosting together.  If you would like to use caster sugar add some cornstarch in it, it work the same. However, remember do beat till caster sugar resolve. 
• Icing / frosting can be kept in fridge (air tight container) for a week and in freezer for a month. When you defrost it jus stir it up