Make reindeer cupcakes Families asked Emily Leary, multi-award-winning food, lifestyle and parenting writer, presenter, photographer and author of A Mummy Too (< amummytoo.co.uk) to share her scrumptious chocolate reindeer cupcake recipe with us. Fun and easy to make, you’ll love the chocolate sponge, rich chocolate frosting and the simple toppings which make the cute Christmas reindeer faces. You will need: For the buttercream: 400g (14.1oz) icing sugar (powdered sugar) 200g (7.1oz) slightly salted butter, softened 75g (2.6oz) cocoa powder (dutch processed) 100ml (3.4 floz) whole milk Decorations: 12 red Smarties or M&Ms and 12 giant milk chocolate buttons 24 candy eyes and 24 pretzels
175g (6.2oz) slightly salted butter, cubed and room temperature 200g (7.1oz) white caster sugar (superfine sugar) 3 medium free-range eggs, room temperature 125ml (4.2 floz) whole milk, room temperature 200g (7.1oz) self-raising white flour 40g (1.4oz) cocoa powder (dutch processed)
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Preheat the oven to 180C (160C fan). Put the caster sugar and softened butter in a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer or by hand until creamy.
Crack the eggs into the bowl. Add the milk. Beat again until just combined.
Fold everything together until the batter is smooth and even.
Line a 12-hole muffin tray with muffin cases. Divide the batter evenly between them, making sure to level off so that the cupcakes rise evenly.
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Bake for about 20 minutes or until risen and firm. A skewer pushed into the centre of a cupcake towards the middle of the tray should come out clean. Transfer to a wire rack and leave to cool completely.
Make the buttercream. Put the softened butter in a large bowl and whisk until creamy.
Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a French tip or open star nozzle and pipe tall swirls on top of the cake, retaining a little frosting to use as glue in the final steps. Add the reindeer details. Place a giant chocolate button on top of each cupcake, just below the centre. Dab the back of each Smartie with a little frosting and fix each on to the centre of a chocolate button.
Position two candy eyes above each chocolate button. Finally, break one side of each of the pretzels (or leave them whole) and push them into the frosted tops of each of the cupcakes to form antlers.
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Sift in the flour and cocoa powder.
Sift in the icing sugar, cocoa powder then add the milk and hot water. Start whisking together, slowly at first and then building speed once the icing sugar is incorporated. It will take several minutes of whisking to get a light and smooth frosting.
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