Cupcakes

For the Chocolate Cake (makes 24 cupcakes)

185g butter
2 teaspoons vanilla essence (or 1 tsp extract)
380g caster sugar
3 eggs
300g self raising flour
100g cocoa
250ml water

Put 24 cupcake cases into muffin trays and preheat oven to 175oC.

Place all the ingredients in a bowl and using an electric mixer, beat on a low speed until just combined, then turn the mixer up to a medium speed and beat until the mixture is smooth and lighter in colour.

Divide the mixture into 24 cases and bake for about 20 minutes or until the centre of the cake springs back when lightly pushed. Leave to cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then put the cakes on a wire rack to cool completely.

For the chocolate buttercream:

250g butter, softened
500g icing sugar
2/3 cup cocoa
125ml milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Beat the butter with electric beaters until well softened. Add half the icing sugar, half the cocoa and half the milk. Beat until light and fluffy. Scrape down the bowl and add the remaining ingredients (you might not need all the milk though, I never do). Beat again until the mixture is light and smooth. Spread onto the tops of the cooled cupcakes, or pipe blobs on using a plain large nozzle.

For the decoration:

Mini marshmallows
toffee popcorn
fudge, cup up into little chunks
dark chocolate

Start piling the ingredients up on the top on of the buttercream, pushing them into the icing slightly so they hold. I always use 3 pieces of popcorn on the bottom, about 5 mini marshmallows in the gaps and about 5 pieces of fudge to fill in the rest of the gaps, but just play around with it!

Melt the chocolate then drizzle over the tops of the cakes and let it set.