Ingredients
100 g dark chocolate, chopped
2 eggs
1 cup caster sugar
½ cup milk
⅓ cup light olive oil
2 tsp vanilla extract
1½ cups plain flour
¼ cup Dutch process cocoa powder
1 tsp bicarbonate soda
12 squares dark chocolate
dark chocolate melts, melted, to decorate
Frosting
200 g unsalted butter, chopped, at room temperature
1 tbsp cold, strong espresso coffee
½ tsp vanilla bean paste
2½ cups icing sugar mixture
Method
- Line a 12-hole muffin pan (1/3-cup capacity) with paper cases.
- Place chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Sit bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Stir until smooth. Remove. Cool slightly.
- Beat eggs and sugar in a small bowl of an electric mixer until pale and creamy. Add milk, oil and vanilla. Beat until smooth.
- Sift flour, cocoa and soda into a large bowl. Add egg mixture and melted chocolate. Whisk to combine. Spoon 1 heaped tbsp of mixture into each paper case. Top each with one square of chocolate. Spoon remaining mixture evenly over top.
- Cook in a moderate oven (180C) for about 20 to 25 minutes, or until cakes spring back when lightly touched. Stand for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool.
- Spoon frosting into a piping bag fitted with a 1cm star nozzle. Pipe onto cupcakes. Drizzle melted chocolate over frosting.
- To make frosting, beat butter in a small bowl of an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add coffee and vanilla. Beat to combine. Gradually add sugar, beating until smooth.
