Chocolate Cupcakes with Basil Frosting

Ingredients

• 4 tbsp boiling water
• 40g cocoa powder
• 3 large eggs
• 175g unsalted butter
• 165g golden caster sugar
• 115g self raising flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• Frosting

Frosting

• 1 cup loosely filled with Basil
• 60g unsalted butter
• 3 tbsp milk
• 280g golden icing sugar

Cooking Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 200C (400F, Gas mark 6) and line a muffin tin with paper cases.
2. Sift the cocoa powder into a large bowl, pour in the boiling water and mix with a spatula to form a thick paste. Add the remaining ingredients & mix with an electric or hand whisk.
3. Divide the mixture equally between the 12 paper cases. Bake for 12-15 mins until well risen and springy to touch, then leave to cool completely on a wire rack.
4. To make the buttercream whisk together the icing sugar and butter, slowly adding the milk until the desired consistency is achieved. With the food processor chop the basil until it forms a smooth paste then whisk this into the icing.
5. Use a piping bag to form a peak on the cupcakes, I then used baby basil leaves to garnish the top.