Maltesers Cupcakes

The bases of these cakes are flavoured with Maltesers drinking chocolate and the buttercream with crushed Maltesers to give them a truly malty taste. Cooking time includes cooling.

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   1. Preheat oven to 190c or gas mark 5. Simply blitz all the cupcake base ingredients together in the food processor except the milk which you drizzle in last through the funnel before pulsing a few times to a smooth batter.
   
   2. Spoon the mixture into large muffin cases into two 12 hole muffin trays so that they are around two thirds full. Bake for around 15-18 minutes. For large cupcakes I set the timer for 12 minutes, turn around and leave for another 6 minutes.
   
   3. The centres may erupt like little volcanoes but that's ok, you can lop off these peaks if you want to ice them flat.
   
   4. When they are done a cocktail stick will just about come out dry. With practice you get the confidence to know how early this is, leaving them even a couple of minutes beyond this point will make your sponge too dry.
   
   5. Leave to cool in the tins for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack. Allow to cool completely before covering with icing.
   
   6. To make the buttercream, set aside 24 Maltesers to top the finished cupcakes. Whatever is left, blitz in the food processor until well broken up. Add the softened butter, icing sugar and cocoa powder and blitz until totally incorporated. Drizzle in the milk until you have a spreadable consistency. Bear in mind that the surface of the buttercream will go harder after a few hours.
   
   7. Paste the buttercream over the bases using a small palette knife. Position a whole Malteser on top of each cake.