Christmas Cupcakes

A little bit of uncomplicated Christmas sprinkle, Friday afternoon, pre-weekend, post school year fun... before the madness begins. Happy weekend friends.

Christmas Cupcakes

Makes 18

For the Cupcakes:
1 cup dark chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup full cream milk
3/4 cup plain flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1 cup caster sugar
1/2 teaspoon sea salt flakes or pink Himalaya salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 eggs
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup sunflower oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

For the Ganache:

100g dark chocolate, finely chopped

100g sour cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Christmas sprinkles

Make the Cupcakes:

Preheat the oven to 180C. Line 2 x 12 hole cupcake pans with 18 paper liners. Set aside.

Put the chopped chocolate and milk into a small pan and gently heat over low heat, stirring until melted and smooth. Be careful not to overheat. Set aside.

In a bowl, combine the flour, cocoa, sugar, salt and baking powder. Stir to mix. Set aside

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the eggs, sour cream, oil and vanilla for about 1 minute. Slowly add the melted chocolate and then the dry ingredients. Mix on low for a further minute to combine.

Fill the cupcake liners until half full and bake for 15 - 17 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the middle of a cupcake comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack and leave to cool completely.

Make the Ganache:

Put the chopped chocolate into a heat-proof bowl. Heat the cream to almost boiling in a small saucepan over medium heat. Remove the cream from the heat and add the vanilla extract. Pour it over the chocolate. Leave for about 2 minutes, then stir it together until the chocolate is melted and you have a smooth, velvety mixture.

Smear each cooled cupcake with a generous helping of ganache and tip an edge in your favourite Christmas sprinkles.