Trick or treat chocolate cupcakes recipe

Method

1. Preheat the oven to gas 4, 180°C, fan 160°C. Line a 12-hole cupcake tin with cupcake cases. Combine the flour, cocoa powder and salt in a bowl and set aside.
2. Beat the butter and sugar together with an electric whisk, until light and fluffy.
3. Mix the milk and lemon juice together in a measuring jug, then whisk in the egg and vanilla extract. Gradually beat the egg mixture into the butter mixture, until combined.
4. Sift over the bowl of dry ingredients in three additions, folding through gently each time. Divide the cake mixture between the cases (an ice cream scoop will help) and bake for 18-20 mins, until well risen and a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. Set aside on a rack to cool completely.
5. To make the buttercream, sift the icing sugar into a bowl and set aside. Beat the butter with an electric whisk until light and creamy. Turn the beaters down to their lowest setting and add the icing sugar, then beat until combined. Whisk on the highest setting for 5 mins to make it light and fluffy.
6. Whisk in the vanilla extract, then divide the buttercream between two bowls. Gently whisk the cocoa powder into one bowl of buttercream, followed by the chocolate and milk, until well combined. Add black food colouring, until the mixture is very dark. Add red food colouring to the other bowl of buttercream and stir until the colour is even throughout. Fill two piping bags fitted with star nozzles with each buttercream and set aside.
7. Now make the fillings. Combine the caramel and yeast extract in a small bowl. Scoop out a teaspoon of each cupcake. Spoon a teaspoon of the caramel into 6 of the cupcakes. Pop a raspberry into the remaining 6, then cover with custard, until it meets the top of the cupcake.
8. Pipe rosettes of buttercream onto each cake in a random order to cover the custard, then serve. The cakes will keep for up to a day in an airtight container.

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