Cadbury's Creme Egg Cupcakes (makes 18)

These...cakes...are...divine!

So, it is Easter, and you need your Easter fix of Creme Eggs. Why not put them inside a cake, pile them high with icing and eat them? Just in case you fancied doing something a little different! This recipe makes 18 cupcakes, and I have used the baking cups from my shop, www.theshirebakery.com however you could use any cupcake wrappers for this. 

Ingredients

18 mini Cadbury's Creme Eggs

200g plain flour

40g cocoa powder

240g caster sugar

3 tsp baking powder

80g unsalted butter

2 eggs

200ml milk

2 tsp vanilla extract

pinch of salt

For the Frosting:

175g unsalted butter

350g icing sugar

2-3 tbsp milk

A few drops of yellow food colouring

Method

So, first thing is first. Freeze your creme eggs! If you do not freeze them, they will simply melt straight into the cake, which, although it will still taste great, won't be as good when you take that bite and realise that there is a creme egg hidden inside your cake! You want to freeze them at least 4 hours in advance, or do what I do, and put them straight into the freezer as soon as you buy them, to stop you having a cheeky nibble. When you need them, take them out of the freezer and unwrap them. I have used mini creme eggs, a whole large one would be slightly extreme! 

Preheat your oven to 180 degrees, 160 fan or Gas Mark 4. Now put your baking cases on the tray, or line a muffin tin with cases. 

Beat your butter  and sugar together until combined. Now add the vanilla extract and the eggs, one at a time. 

In another bowl combine your flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt. 

Add alternatively the milk and flour mix, until everything is combined. 

Now for the messy bit; put a teaspoon of cake mix into each cake case. Now pop a mini creme egg onto the cake mix and cover with the remaining cake mix. You want each cupcake case to be approx 2/3rds full. 

Pop in the oven and bake for 18-20 minutes, or until the cakes spring back when touched. Pop them on a wire rack to cool, and get to making your frosting. 

So, you can do your buttercream frosting by hand, but make sure your butter is nice and soft, or you may end up with sprained wrists! If you have the luxury of having an electric whisk, freestanding or handheld, then lucky you! I take my butter out of the fridge a few hours before, however I also pop it into the microwave for 10 seconds or so, so it is very soft.

Beat your butter, and gradually add your icing sugar until it gets very light, fluffy and smooth, adding milk if you need it. I decided not to put vanilla in the icing, it really is a sweet cake, and I didn't feel like it needed it, however if you want, by all means add it.

Take a little bit of the icing and put this in a separate bowl and colour it egg yolk yellow, using a few drops of yellow food colouring.

Now to ice, I piped mine with a round head nozzle, but you could spoon it on to get the desired effect.

I hope you enjoy these, and Happy Easter everyone!