Spiced chocolate buttermilk cupcakes recipe

Spiced chocolate buttermilk cupcakes

Adiyatu Sambu-Balde's cupcakes have the perfect flavour combination of sweet chocolate and fiery cayenne pepper and the addition of buttermilk makes these super light and fluffy. Leftover cupcakes can be stored in a sealed container at room temperature for 2 days and refrigerated for up to 5 days.

See method
  • Makes 12 cupcakes
  • 20 mins to prepare and 20 mins to cook
  • 466 calories / serving

    Ingredients

    • 75ml sunflower oil
    • 1 large free-range egg
    • 200g caster sugar
    • 50g soft light brown sugar
    • 1tsp vanilla extract
    • 150ml buttermilk
    • 150ml water, just boiled
    • 200g plain flour
    • 50g cocoa powder
    • 1tsp baking powder
    • 1tsp bicarbonate of soda
    • ½ tsp ground cinnamon​
    • 1tsp mixed spice
    • ½ tsp cayenne pepper

    For the frosting

    • 200g icing sugar
    • 140g cream cheese, straight from the fridge
    • 80g unsalted butter, softened
    • 200g 70% dark chocolate, melted

    Ready to shop?

    Shop ingredients

    Each serving contains

    Energy
    1950kJ 466.0kcal
    23%
    Fat
    24g
    high34%
    Saturates
    11g
    high56%
    Salt
    0.4g
    low6%
    Sugars
    45g
    high50%

    of the Reference intake

    Carbohydrate 60.1gProtein 5.5gFibre 2.6g

    Method

    1. Preheat the oven to gas 3, 170°C, 150°C fan. Line a 12-hole muffin tin with 12 cupcake cases.
    2. In a large bowl, whisk together the oil, egg, caster sugar, soft light brown sugar, vanilla extract and the buttermilk. Once combined, keep whisking and add the water.
    3. In a separate bowl, sieve together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, cinnamon, mixed spice and cayenne pepper. Add these to the liquid and whisk until just combined.
    4. Pour the mixture into 12 cupcake cases, to about ½cm, just below the rim of the case. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 mins until risen and cooked through. Remove and allow to cool completely before icing.
    5. For the icing, in a large mixing bowl add the icing sugar, cream cheese, butter and mixed spice. Whisk together until well combined.
    6. Now keep whisking and pour in approximately ¾ of the melted chocolate, reserving 3-4 tablespoons for decoration.
    7. To ice the cupcakes, start by dropping a large spoonful of buttercream on each one. Using the back of the spoon, press the buttercream down in the middle to create a small well.
    8. Drizzle the melted chocolate over the top of each cupcake to serve.

          You may also like