Hot Chocolate Cupcakes with Candy Cane Sprinkles

I don't like chocolate cake, call me weird but I'd take a vanilla sponge any day. But then I discovered these. They contain no butter and real hot chocolate so they are more like brownies. Top them off with squirty cream and marshmallows they are just like a real hot chocolate, with the added bonus of being in cake form.

For the cupcakes:

• 225g plain flour
• 225g sugar
• 100g chocolate chips
• 2 tbsp cocoa powder
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• Half a tsp of baking powder
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 75ml vegetable oil
• 200ml hot chocolate (made with milk)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

For the toppings:

• Squirty cream
• Chocolate curls
• Marshmallows
• Chocolate sauce
• A couple of candy canes, crushed

(Makes 12 large cupcakes or 24 small)

Preheat your oven to 180c and line your cupcake or muffin tins with cases. In large bowl combine the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda. Then add the oil, hot chocolate, vanilla and eggs and mix thoroughly. When well combined, stir in the chocolate and then even divide then fill each cupcake case to about two-thirds full.

Bake for 20 minutes, until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out completely clean. Leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes and then move to a wire rack.

Don't add your toppings until you are ready to eat them because the squirty cream will melt even at room temperature. If you need them to last a bit longer substitute the squirty cream for butter cream.

Sit back and enjoy with a glass of milk. x