Chocolate Cupcakes

Mmmmmmm... I've died and gone to heaven. Why? Because I've just bit into an yummy chocolate cupcake! Here's the GORGEOUS recipe: (Recipe from http://www.cathycassidy.com/.)

CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES

INGREDIENTS: (For cupcake)                               INGREDIENTS: (For chocolate icing)
2 and a 1/4 cups plain flour                                                    150g butter- softened
1 and 1/3 cups sugar                                                              250g icing sugar
2 large free-range eggs                                                           2 tablespoons cocoa powder
3 teaspoons baking powder                                                    2 teaspoons hot water
1/2 teaspoon salt                                                                    Decorations-chocolate buttons, sprinkles, etc
1/2 cup butter/margarine                                                         YOU WILL NEED:
1 cup milk                                                                              A cupcake baking tray
1 teaspoon vanilla essence                                                  A mixing bowl
                                                                                              Cupcake paper liners      
                                                                                       A wooden spoon or electric mixer
                                                                                              A spatula
                                                                                              A sieve
METHOD:
1. Preheat oven to 180 C/ 350 F/ Gas Mark 4. Put paper cases in cupcake tray.
2. Put flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt into a large bowl and mix well.
3. Add butter, milk, and vanilla essence. Beat the mixture for 1 minute until thick and gooey, and add eggs. Beat for a further 1 minute at medium speed, and then for 2 minutes at high speed.
4. Spoon cupcake mix into tray until 1/2 to 2/3 full and bake for 20-25 minutes. Leave to cool.
5. For the icing, beat together the butter and icing sugar. Mix the cocoa powder and water in a separate bowl.
6. Add the combined cocoa powder and water to the butter and sugar. Beat until smooth and creamy and then swirl over your cupcakes.
7. Enjoy!

Yummy or what? Let me know if you give it a try, or if you have any cool recipes you'd like to share.
From The Girl With The Notepad :)

Double Chocolate Chip Muffins :D

I had a craving for these the other day so I thought I'd make them! Yum... Here's how to make double chocolate chip muffins...

DOUBLE CHOCOLATE CHIP MUFFINS:

150g plain flour

2 teasp. B.P

50g caster sugar

1 beaten egg made up to 200ml with milk

vanilla essence

50g butter or margarine

15g cocoa powder

100g chocolate chip

6 muffin cases

METHOD:

1. Set oven to 200 C or Gas 6

2. Place 6 muffin cases into a muffin tin

3. Melt butter in a small pan- leave to cool

4. Sieve flour and B.P into mixing bowl

5. Add the sugar, cocoa powder and chocolate chips

6. Beat egg in a measuring jug

7. Add vanilla essence

8. Make up to 200ml with milk

9. Add the melted butter to jug and mix

10. Pour the liquid into a mixing a bowl and carefully fold into the flour with a tablespoon, be careful not to over mix!

11.Fill the six muffin cases

12.Bake straight away on upper shelf for 20-25mins until well risen and golden

13.Cool for 2 mins and enjoy!

Is there anything you would like to make and would like to see how to do it here? Drop a comment and I'll look into it!

From The Girl With The Notepad :)

Yum yum yum, cookies!

I adore chocolate chip cookies. Here's how to make some:

Ingredients:
75g margarine
75g sugar
drop of vanilla essence
100g chocolate chips
1 small egg
150g S. R flour

Method:
1.Set oven to Gas 4 180 C
2.Grease baking tray
3.With a wooden spoon, cream margarine and sugar together until soft and creamy.
4.Beat egg and essence in basin.
5.Gradually mix into the mixture a tablespoon at a time.
6.Change to a metal spoon, and gently fold in the sieved flour, half at a time.
7.Add the chocolate chips and mix.
8.Place teaspoons of mixture on baking tray.
9.Bake approx. 10-15 mins
10.Cool slightly, place fat on baking tray and then enjoy!

From The Girl With The Notepad :)

Chocolate truffles... mmmmmm :)

I love, love, LOVE this recipe! Give it a go!

Chocolate truffles

Ingredients
70g digestive biscuits
110g icing sugar
25g cocoa powder
75g butter or margarine (not low fat spread)
1 tsp cinnamon 
1/2 tsp vanilla essence
25 sweet papers

Method
1. Sieve icing sugar and cocoa powder into a mixing bowl.
2. Use a polythene bag and a rolling pin to crush biscuits into fine crumbs.
3. Add biscuits & cinnamon to mixing bowl.
4. Melt the butter in a small pan on a low heat.
5. Add the vanilla essence to the pan.
6. Add liquid to mixing bowl and mix well.
7. Use hands to form the mixture into small chocolate balls and place into paper cases.
8. Refrigerate before eating & enjoy!

Like this recipe? Have ideas for ways to make the truffles more interesting? Leave a comment!
From The Girl With The Notepad :)

The Most Gorgeous Biscuits You Will Ever Make

Okay, I know recipes are not exactly creative writing but these biscuits are so gorgeous I wanted to share them with you! Got it off the internet ;)

Gooey Chocolate Biscuits-Serves 12
Ingredients
.150g unsalted butter/margarine at room temperature
.150g caster sugar
.1 medium egg yolk
.25g unsweetened cocoa powder
.200g self raising flour
.100g-175g chocolate

1.Preheat oven to 190 C/ Gas 5
2. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, then beat in egg yolk.
3.Sift flour and cocoa into the mix and fold in with a metal spoon.
4.Work into a dough, then gently knead. Wrap and chill for at least 20 minutes.
5.Break off walnut-sized pieces of the dough, shape into balls, and flatten to 10cm circles.
6.Place chocolate in the middle of the circles and wrap them up, creating chocolate parcels.
7.Place seam-side down onto baking tray and bake in preheated oven for 8-10 minutes. Watch they don't burn!
8.Allow to cool on baking tray for 5 minutes, then carefully transfer to a wire rack. Enjoy warm.

You might want to eat these with a spoon, they're really gooey!
From The Girl With The Notepad :)