White Chocolate Cupcakes

So yesterday I went to Edinburgh to see my friend Jess, having not seen her for about 6 months.  Having made her biscuits last time, I wanted to bring cakes this time.  Especially as I have cake boxes and ribbon and tags for presenting them in now.  I knew she liked the look of the vanilla fudge cupcakes, so I made 6 of those.  But I also decided to make some white chocolate cupcakes too, for a little variety.  So I found a recipe I thought looked pretty good, except it was for a layer cake rather than cupcakes.  I adapted it.

I admit, I am reluctant to actually call these white chocolate cupcakes.  I don't think the cakes taste particularly white chocolate like, despite the 85g of it incorporated into the mix.  This may be because of the water that the chocolate was melted in.  Maybe it watered down the taste, I don't know.  However, combined with the buttercream it does taste wonderfully creamy and white chocolatey, according to the fiancé.  The buttercream is my own creation, not the one from the original recipe.  I did make a batch of that one but it tasted horrible.  It didn't taste of white chocolate, it tasted of flour.  Not nice.  So I made my own.  It was much better and tastes sooooo good, even if I say so myself.

The opinion from my friend?  "Your cupcakes are like edible heaven."

Recipe: 
Makes about 10


Cakes - adapted from Allrecipe.co.uk

• 155g/5.5oz plain flour
• 1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 85g/3oz white chocolate, chopped
• 60ml/2fl.oz hot water
• 110g/3.8oz butter, softened
• 150g/5.2oz caster sugar
• 1 large egg
• 125ml/4.4fl.oz buttermilk
• 3/4 tsp vanilla extract

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4 and line a 12 hole muffin tin with muffin cases.
2. In a small bowl, sift together the flour, bicarbonate of soda, baking powder and salt together.
3. Melt the chocolate and water in a glass bowl placed over a simmering pan of water.  Set aside to cool.
4. Cream the butter and sugar together in a large bowl until light and fluffy.  
5. Add the egg and beat well until fully incorporated.
6. Gradually add the flour and buttermilk alternately to the mixture, stirring after each addition.
7. Add the cooled chocolate mix and vanilla extract and stir in.
8. Spoon into the cases.
9. Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes until the cakes are risen, slightly springy and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
10. Leave to cool on a wire rack.

White Chocolate Buttercream:

• 85g/3oz butter
• 170g/6oz icing sugar
• 100g/3.5oz white chocolate, plus a bit extra for grating
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

1. Melt the chocolate in a glass bowl placed over a pan of simmering water.
2. Cream together the butter, icing sugar and vanilla extract until smooth and creamy.
3. Add the melted white chocolate and mix in.
4. Put into a piping bag fitted with a star nozzle and pipe small swirls in the centre of each cake.
5. Grate white chocolate over the top of each cake.