Chocolate cupcakes with vanilla buttercream

Chocolate and vanilla is a perfect combination. So what could be better than a delicious chocolate cupcake topped with creamy vanilla buttercream and dipped in thousands of chocolate sprinkles?


The cupcakes looked lovely straight from the oven:


Dipping the finished cupcake in chocolate vermicelli is such a simple technique but gives a rather sophisticated and intricate looking finish. It?s also lovely to bite into and get the crisp chocolate contrasting with the soft sponge and buttercream.

This is chocolate vermicelli:


I?m a big fan of chocolate vermicelli particularly when made from Belgian chocolate, as this variety is. I found mine in my local supermarket so I assume it is widely available. It?s worth buying more than you think they need as large quantities seem to disappear during the preparation of the cupcakes; it?s definitely a paranormal phenomenon and not at all that I?m eating it.

I found I achieved a nicer finish if I domed the buttercream on the cupcake....


....as it flattens slightly on being dipped in the chocolate....


...giving this beautiful finish:


All boxed up and ready to go:


Ingredients:
For the cupcakes:
125g unsalted butter, at room temperature
125g caster sugar
2 eggs
100g self raising flour
2 tablespoons milk
3 level tablespoons cocoa powder

For the vanilla buttercream:
175g unsalted butter, at room temperature
350g icing sugar
3 tablespoons boiling water
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

To decorate: chocolate vermicelli


How to make:

- Preheat the oven to 190°C/fan oven 170°C/375°F/Gas mark 5.
- Line a muffin pan with 12 paper cases.
- Start by making the cupcakes. Beat together the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy.
- Add the eggs, flour, milk and cocoa powder.
- Spoon the mixture evenly into the 12 paper cases.
- Bake for approximately 12-15 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. Mine took 15 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and eave to cool on a wire rack.
- Now make the buttercream (make it on the day you?re serving it). Beat the butter in a bowl to soften.
- Beat in the icing sugar, boiling water and vanilla until you have a smooth and pale buttercream.
- Spread over the cupcakes and try and shape into an even dome.
- Pour the chocolate vermicelli into a bowl and dip the cupcakes so that the whole surface area is covered with the vermicelli and you can barely see the buttercream
- Bask in glory at the wonderful thing you have made.
- Eat.