<\/p>\n

\n

I made these cupcakes for Pola\u2019s birthday \u2013 much simpler and quicker than making a cake, yet just as festive. Pola chose the chocolate cupcakes and the sweet pink frosting herself. She was delighted \u2013 they lived up to her expectations, although she soon forgot about the pink frosting and tucked into the chocolate cake instead\u00a0;). The frosting is sweet and delicately buttery, with the addition of creamy Philadelphia-style cream cheese. The cupcakes stay fresh for a long time and remain soft. I definitely wouldn\u2019t make them for an ordinary day, but for birthdays and other special occasions, they are perfect.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Makes 14 cupcakes.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ingredients for the cupcakes:<\/span><\/p>\n

\n
• 220 g butter<\/li>\n
• 150 g caster sugar<\/li>\n
• 210 g plain flour<\/li>\n
• 1\u00bd teaspoons baking powder<\/li>\n
• 4 eggs<\/li>\n
• 4 tablespoons cocoa powder<\/li>\n
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract<\/li>\n
• 50 g finely chopped dark chocolate or chocolate chips<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

  All the ingredients should be at room temperature.<\/p>\n

  Place the butter, sugar and vanilla in the bowl of a mixer and beat until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing after each addition only until combined. Sift the flour, cocoa powder and baking powder directly into the creamed mixture. Fold together with a spatula just until combined. Finally, fold in the chopped dark chocolate.<\/p>\n

  Line a standard muffin tin with paper cases. Divide the batter between the cases, filling them to about \u00be full.<\/p>\n

  Bake for about 22 minutes at 170\u00b0C, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Remove from the oven and leave to cool on a wire rack.<\/p>\n

  Ingredients for the frosting:<\/span><\/p>\n

  \n
  • 300 g Philadelphia-style cream cheese<\/li>\n
  • 250 g butter<\/li>\n
  • 1\u00be cups icing sugar<\/li>\n
  • food colouring, to taste<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    All the ingredients should be at room temperature.<\/p>\n

    Place the butter and icing sugar in the bowl of a mixer and beat until you have a light, very fluffy buttercream. Gradually add the cream cheese, beating continuously. Finally, add the food colouring and beat until the colour is evenly distributed. Chill for 1 hour.<\/p>\n

    Transfer the frosting to a piping bag fitted with a decorative nozzle, e.g. Wilton 1M. Pipe onto the cooled cupcakes.<\/p>\n

    Store the birthday cupcakes in the fridge. The frosting also holds up well at room temperature for a long time without affecting its appearance.<\/p>\n

    Enjoy!<\/p>\n

    <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    I made these cupcakes for Pola\u2019s birthday \u2013 much simpler and quicker than making a cake, yet just as festive. Pola chose the chocolate cupcakes and the sweet pink frosting herself. She was delighted \u2013 they lived up to her expectations, although she quickly <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1163,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[70,59,73],"tags":[96,107,116],"duration":[],"tag_group":[],"class_list":["post-1161","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-cakes-for-kids","category-cupcakes","category-new-year-and-parties","tag-chocolate","tag-cocoa-powder","tag-philadelphia-en"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n