Chocolate Pine-Cone Cupcakes

Ingredients

For the cupcakes:

• 150g Co-op unsalted butter, softened
• 150g Fairtrade caster sugar
• 2 Co-op British free-range eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• 150g Co-op self-raising white flour
• 70g Co-op Irresistible Fairtrade
• 70% cocoa dark chocolate, melted

For the icing:

• 175g Co-op unsalted butter, softened
• 350g Fairtrade icing sugar, plus extra for dusting
• 50g Co-op Irresistible Fairtrade 70% cocoa dark chocolate, melted
• 150g milk chocolate buttons
• 1 tbsp festive cake sprinkles (we used red, white and green)
• You’ll need 12 cupcake cases

Method

For the cupcakes:

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas 4
2. Line a 12-hole cupcake tin with paper cases
3. Beat the butter and sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy
4. Add the eggs, vanilla, and 2 tbsp of the flour
5. Beat until combined, then mix in the remaining flour, along with the melted chocolate
6. Divide between the cases and bake for 20-25 mins, until risen
7. Leave to cool fully on a wire rack

For the icing:

1. Beat the butter until smooth, then add the icing sugar, a little at a time, mixing until smooth
2. Stir in the chocolate
3. Spoon into a piping bag and pipe onto each cake in a pointed swirl
4. Then press in the chocolate buttons to look like pine cones
5. Decorate with the sprinkles and dust with a little icing sugar to serve