Merry Christmas!!

Hope you all have a lovely day and get (and give) everything you wanted. Big love x

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

Christmas Cookies

Christmas is nearly upon us - only 2 more sleeps! (Not that I'm counting or anything...) Who else is excited? I tend to go way too over the top with baking around Christmas and this year is no exception. These buttery cookies have been going down a treat, especially with a certain dog. 

What you'll need:

• 400g plain flour
• 225g butter
• 350g sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp baking powder
• Half a tsp bicarbonate of soda
• Writing icing and sprinkles to decorate.

(Makes 30)

Preheat your oven to 160c (fan). In a large bowl cream together the butter and sugar then beat in the egg and vanilla. Gradually sift in the flower, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda and mix together until you have a ball of cookie dough.

Roll the dough out until 75mm thick. If you find that your dough is sticking to the table just add more flour. Cut out using a star cutter or whatever shape you fancy and place on a baking sheet lined with greaseproof paper. Bake for 10 minutes or so. When they come out the oven they will still be soft so leave to cool on the tray for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.

When completely cool go mad with decorations.

You can also make these into tree decorations - just make a hole in them before you bake them and thread them with ribbon. x