[Hannah-Rose Bicknell | Features Editor]
Whether you are having a video game themed party, or feel like spicing up your cake-life, these little treats are bound to make you smile, and here’s how to do it:
Ingredients for the cupcakes:
175g self-rising flour
40g cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
175g caster sugar
175g butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 large eggs
4 tbsp milk
For the icing:
280g icing sugar
280g unsalted butter
200g white chocolate
Green, blue and red food colouring
For the decoration:
1 packet of white chocolate buttons
Things you’ll need:
1 muffin tin
12 cupcake cases
3 bowls (for icing)
Lots of spoons!
Method:
1) Line your muffin tray with the cupcake cases and preheat the oven to 190 ºC.
2) In a mixing bowl, sieve the flour, baking powder and cocoa powder together, then add the sugar.
3) Add all the wet ingredients (butter, milk and eggs), into the same bowl and mix with an electric hand whisk (or with a manual one) until a smooth, creamy batter forms.
Top Tip: don’t over mix the batter – it will make the cupcakes heavy and dry.
4) Divide the mixture equally between the cupcake cases, filling most of the case, to ensure they will get a mushroom top. Place into the oven for 15 minutes, or until well risen.
Top Tip: Insert a knife into a cupcake – if it comes out clean, they are ready.
5) To make the icing, sift the icing sugar into a bowl and melt the white chocolate, either over boiling water or in a microwave – taking care not to burn the chocolate.
6) Combine butter (softened) with the icing sugar then fold in the melted chocolate. Divide the mixture between the three bowls evenly then add the food colouring, ensuring the mix doesn’t get too runny. If it does, add some more icing sugar.
7) Take the cakes out of the oven and allow to cool.
Top Tip: let the cakes cool completely before applying the icing, otherwise it will run off.
8) Once the cakes are ready, hold the cupcakes by the ‘stem’ and dip the top of the ‘mushroom’ into the coloured icing mix. Place on a tray in case they begin to drip as they dry.
9) Once the icing on the cupcake is semi-dry, place the chocolate buttons on the cupcakes. You can cut the buttons in half and place them along the side of the ‘mushroom’ to make them appear more realistic. When the icing sets, they will be ready to enjoy!
Images: Hannah-Rose Bicknell