Double Chocolate Cupcakes

As valentines day is tomorrow I thought I'd get into the spirit and bake some cute cupcakes!

A milk chocolate sponge topped with white chocolate buttercream, the cake is incredibly moist,with the addition of buttermilk,and the frosting deliciously sweet.

Either give to your loved ones or just eat them all yourself! (Sounds like a day well spent to me...)

Ingredients-

For the cupcakes (makes 8)-
-150g unsalted butter
-150g light brown sugar
-2 eggs
-4 tbsp cocoa powder
-150ml buttermilk
-150g self raising flour

For the buttercream-
-200g unsalted butter
-400g icing sugar
-2 tsp milk
-200g white chocolate, melted

Preheat your oven to 180c and line a muffin tin with 8 cases.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Add the eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition.

Sift in half the cocoa powder and half of the buttermilk and beat, then sift in the rest of the cocoa powder and buttermilk and beat to combine.

Sift in the flour and fold in gently.

Divide the mixture between the cases and place into the oven for 18-20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Leave to cool completely once baked, before decorating.

For the buttercream, beat the butter until light in colour and gradually add the icing sugar, milk and white chocolate until a thick consistency.

Pipe or spread on top of each cupcake and decorate with any sweets you like!

Jack Daniels Chocolate Cake with Oreo Truffles

As you can probably tell from the photos, this was a birthday cake I made for my boyfriend, who looooves Jack Daniel's!

Filled with Jack Daniels buttercream, covered in chocolate ganache and decorated with Oreo truffles, this cake is definitely one to show off!

Ingredients:

For the Oreo truffles:
- one package of Oreos
- one tub of cream cheese
- 200g chocolate

For the cake:
-200g unsalted butter
-200g caster sugar
-3 eggs, beaten
-3 tbsp cocoa powder
-100ml jack daniels
-200g self raising flour

For the buttercream-
-250g unsalted butter
-400g icing sugar
-2 tbsp jack daniels

For the ganache:
-300ml double cream
-250g milk chocolate
-250g dark chocolate

For the truffles, place the Oreos in a bag and crush them with a rolling pin until you're left with fine crumbs.
Place into a bowl and mix in the cream cheese.

Roll into balls and place on a lined baking tray, into your fridge, for at least half an hour.
Once they're nice and cooled, melt your chocolate and roll each ball in it to cover them completely, place them back onto the baking tray, and put them into the fridge to set.
Decorate with whatever your fancy, I used white chocolate and crushed hazelnuts.

To make the ganache.
Heat the double cream in a small saucepan, until it starts to simmer in a small saucepan. Take off the heat, break up the chocolate and place into the cream, making sure it's mostly covered. Leave for 5 minutes to melt.

Once melted, stir to combine and leave to cool. I placed it into the fridge until I needed it, but had to microwave it for 30 seconds before using to make it easier to spread.

Preheat your oven to 180c, grease and line two sandwich tins with grease proof paper.

In a large bowl, best the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Slowly beat in the eggs.
In a mug combine the cocoa powder with a tiny bit of boiling water to dissolve, then mix in the jack daniels. Add this to the batter and mix well.
Sift over the flour and gently fold in with a metal spoon until combined.

Divide the mixture into each sandwich tin and place into the oven for 20-25, minutes.
To test if it's ready, stick a toothpick into the middle, if it comes out clean it's ready.
Once baked, leave to cool completely on a cooling rack before decorating.

For the buttercream, beat the butter until light and fluffy, slowly add the icing sugar and jack daniels until a thick but spreadable consistency.
Sandwich the cooled cakes with the buttercream then cover the whole cake with the ganache, I just did this with a spatula.

Place your Oreo truffles on top and then wallah!