Rocky road cupcakes

Sponsored post

Now that my little ones are having packed lunches a few days a week I thought it’d be a good idea to bake a batch of cakes at the weekend rather than spend a fortune on cereal bars.

Fairy cakes are the perfect size for little hands and they freeze really well, so you can make a load, freeze and just get them out as you need them.

I turned to BakingMad.com who have a load of cupcake recipes to choose from, and as I scrolled down my eyes were immediately drawn to Rocky Road Cup Cakes.

The sponge is really light and fluffy, and the addition of chocolate chip and chopped nuts works really well. I’m trying really hard to include nuts and seeds in Sam’s diet wherever possible now he’s gone meat-free.

The topping is ultra extravagant; chocolate buttercream scattered with chocolate chips, chopped roasted hazelnuts, crushed biscuits, glace cherries, marshmallows and melted chocolate. (If you’re a gelatine-avoiding veggie then just leave out the marshmallows)

I only fully decorated a third of the batch for treat eating at home, then topped the rest with a drizzle of melted milk chocolate. I think the school would string me up if I sent Sam in with the fully blinged up version – not to mention the state of his face and school uniform should he attempt to eat it while unsupervised!

Should you need an excuse to bake these little beauties, my friend reliably informed me it’s both National Cake Week AND National Chocolate Week… get thee to the kitchen people!

Rocky Road Cupcakes (adapted from BakingMad.com)

3 eggs
175g butter, softened
175g caster sugar
175g self raising flour
2 tbsp cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
50g chocolate chips
50g chopped nuts (I used roasted hazelnuts)

Frosting
125g butter, softened
50g cocoa powder
200g icing sugar

Toppings
chopped nuts (I used roasted hazelnuts)
mini marshmallows
digestive biscuits, broken into small pieces
glace cherries, chopped
chocolate chips
chocolate, melted for drizzling

1. Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Line 2 x 12 hole bun tins with paper cases.

2. Beat together the eggs, butter, caster sugar, cocoa powder and flour with an electric beater until smooth. Fold in the chocolate chips and nuts. Spoon into paper cases until 2/3 full.

3. Bake for 15-20 minutes until risen and firm to touch. Allow to cool while you make the frosting.

4. Beat the butter with the sifted cocoa powder and icing sugar until smooth. Spread a teaspoon of the icing onto each cake, smoothing over with a spreading knife.

5. Scatter with your toppings and then drizzle with melted chocolate.