We have turned this retro dessert into a picture perfect cupcake. Black Forest gateau flavours are topped with an enchanted forest scene making them a great gift at Christmas time or a brilliant addition to any festive party table!
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Yields:
12
Prep Time:
20 mins
Cook Time:
25 mins
Total Time:
45 mins
Cal/Serv:
549
Ingredients
For the cupcakes
175g
unsalted butter, softened
175g
caster sugar
3
medium eggs, lightly beaten
125g
self-raising flour
50g
cocoa powder, plus extra to dust
1tsp.
vanilla extract
100g
black cherries in Kirsch, roughly chopped, plus 2tbsp Kirsch from the jar
For the topping
250g
icing sugar, sifted
150g
unsalted butter, softened
4
Cadbury Flakes, each cut into 3
12
edible toadstool cupcake toppers, see GH TIPS
For the edible
1Tbsp.
lightly beaten egg, see GH TIPS
1tsp.
caster sugar
2tsp.
runny honey
1Tbsp.
plain flour
1/4tsp.
baking powder
Few drops green food colouring gel
Directions
Step 1Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan) mark 4. Line a 12-hole muffin tin with muffin cases. For the cupcakes, beat butter and caster sugar in a large bowl using a handheld electric whisk until pale and fluffy, about 5min. Gradually beat in the eggs.
Step 2Using a large metal spoon, fold the flour and cocoa powder into the egg mixture, followed by the vanilla, cherries, 1tbsp Kirsch and 1tbsp just-boiled water. Divide mixture between the cases and bake for 25min until risen and a skewer inserted in the centre of a cake comes out clean. Remove cakes from the tin to a cooling rack. Poke holes into the tops of the cakes using a skewer and drizzle with remaining 1tbsp Kirsch. Leave to cool completely.
Step 3Meanwhile make the icing. In a large bowl beat the icing sugar and butter with a handheld electric whisk until pale and fluffy. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a 1cm fluted piping nozzle. Chill until needed.
Step 4To make the edible moss, beat the egg and sugar together with a fork in a small microwave-safe bowl until frothy. Add the rest of the moss ingredients and beat until combined. Cook in the microwave, uncovered, at 600W for 1min 10sec. Place bowl upside-down on a cooling rack and leave to cool, then carefully pull the moss away from the bowl and tear into walnut-sized pieces.
Step 5Pipe icing on to the cupcakes in a swirl. Top each with a piece of Flake, a toadstool topper and moss. Serve.
GH Tips
Buy edible toadstool toppers online (we found ours on Etsy) or make your own from chocolate – find the method in our forest stump cake recipe
Leftover egg can be chilled (covered) for up to 3 days and added to omelettes or scrambled eggs, or used to enrichen a white sauce for lasagne or cauliflower cheese.
Grace is Good Housekeeping’s Senior Cookery Writer, serving up delicious food and drink content. Grace was trained at Leiths Cookery School and worked as a chef in some of London’s most exciting restaurants before starting at Good Housekeeping. When she isn’t eating and drinking her way through London's restaurants, you’ll find her attending music gigs and binge-watching the newest TV shows.
