I came across this recipe in Tesco’s seasonal magazine (have I ever mentioned how much I love the free magazines you get at supermarkets? I normally find at least one recipe I like the look of). I am always on the hunt for blackberry recipes and this was a great one as the blackberries were whizzed up in the cake batter making them sweeter and less bitter than eating alone.
Black Velvet Cupcakes
Ingredients
- 100g plain chocolate, chopped
- 100g salted butter
- 180g caster sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 200g self-raising flour
- 150g blackberries, crushed
For the frosting
- 100g unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 125g soft cheese, at room temperature
- 450g icing sugar
Preheat to oven 180C. Line a 12 hole muffin tin with paper cases.
Put the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of shallow, simmering water. Stir until melted. Remove from the heat and leave to cool slightly.
Stir the sugar into the cooled chocolate mixture, followed by the eggs, then add 75ml boiling water and stir again. Sift in the flour and a pinch of salt, then add the crushed blackberries and mix well.
Divide the batter between the cases. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until a skewer comes out clean. Remove the cake from the oven and leave to cool completely on a wire rack.
For the frosting, put the butter and soft cheese in a mixing bow. Mix with a hand whisk until smooth. Gradually add the icing sugar, whisking for 2-3 minutes more. Chill until needed.
Using a palette knife, spread the frosting over each cake.