It was my friend's birthday last Wednesday but I didn't get to see her until Saturday. When I asked her what she wanted she asked me would I bake her something, preferrably chocolate with some Rocky Road too. Initially I was going to make a chocolate mud recipe that I was sent on Twitter but then the lovely people at the Craft Company sent me a few different items to try out that were perfect for cupcakes so I decided to make cupcakes instead. I will make the chocolate mud cake at some point, it's been added to my to-do list.

The chocolate cupcake recipe I always use is one that I came across in a Hummingbird Bakery book years ago and it has never let me down. I forgot to take photos while I was making the cupcakes but they really are very easy to make.

Recipe - makes 12 cupcakes

200g plain flour
40g cocoa
3tsp baking powder
280g caster sugar
80g unsalted butter (softened)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
240ml milk
2 eggs

Buttercream
160g unsalted butter (softened)
500g icing sugar
2-3tbsp cocoa
a few drops of milk


Preheat oven to 160c (fan) or 180c (non-fan)
Line a muffin pan in cupcake cases
Whisk all the dry ingredients and the butter in a bowl until it resembles a sandy consistency.
Beat the milk, eggs and vanilla in a jug.
Pour half of the eggy milk mixture into the dry mixture and combine.
Pour in the rest and whisk until smooth
Using an ice-cream scoop fill each case 2/3 full of mixture
Pop in the oven for around 22 mins or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.

Buttercream
Put all the ingredients in a bowl and whisk (cover bowl with a teatowl or you will have icing sugar everywhere!)
Add a bit more cocoa and/or milk if required
Fill a piping bag and pipe onto cupcakes (I tend to use a 1M nozzle)

Decorate however you choose but as I said earlier I got sent these items from the Craft Company to try out. The texture mat is fab and creates some lovely toppers and its so easy to use too. Just roll out some fondant/modelling paste to 5mm thick then place it over the pattern on the mat and roll over it again until it picks up the pattern and shape. The pressure of the rolling pin on the mat cuts out the shape but it would be better if a cutter came with it to give a smoother finish to the edges. I also got sent these cute little blossom plunger cutters, I just love them!

My friend also loved her cupcakes so it was a double bonus. I'll post the rocky road recipe up later this week.

Even though the Craft Company sent me these products to review, all opinions are my own.