Choc cherry coke cupcakes

Happy birthday to us! Happy birthday to us! Today 2 years ago the e+e website went live so I thought I would make some chocolate, cherry and coca cola cupcakes to celebrate.

Choc cherry coke cupcakes

1 cup coca cola

1/2 cup cocoa powder, sifted

80g butter, chopped

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup caster sugar

1 egg

1 cup plain flour, sifted

1/2 teaspoon baking soda, sifted

12 fresh or glace cherries

cherry buttercream

1/2 cup cherry conserve, warmed

1 1/2 cups icing sugar, sifted

125g butter, softened

Preheat oven to 180°C conventional/160°C fan-forced. Line a 12-hole muffin tin with cupcake cases. Combine coca cola, cocoa, butter and sugars in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir until butter has melted and sugars have dissolved. Remove from heat and set aside for 10 minutes to cool. Whisk in the egg. Gently whisk in the flour and baking soda. Pour mixture into cases and bake for 20-25 minutes or until cooked when tested with a skewer. Cool on a wire rack. Top cupcakes with cherry buttercream and the fresh/glace cherries.

To make the cherry buttercream – Strain the cherry conserve to remove any lumps and set aside to cool. Combine icing sugar and butter in an electric mixer and beat on low for a minute or two until combined. Beat on high for 10 minutes or until pale and fluffy. Gradually add the cooled cherry conserve and beat well to combine.

Makes 12

0O0     These cupcakes are best eaten on the day they are made.