LOLA’s Vanilla Milk Chocolate cupcake is simple to make and provides the best of both worlds – our heavenly Madagascan vanilla cupcake on the bottom and our creamy-smooth chocolate buttercream on the top. For the best snowball effect, finish this cupcake with a drift of chocolate strands.
muffin pan lined with 12 muffin cases
Makes 12
Preheat the oven to 180˚C/350˚F/ Gas 4.
Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl.
Put the butter and sugar in a mixing bowl and beat with an electric hand mixer until pale and fluffy. Stop occasionally to scrape down the side of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Using a small, sharp knife, slit the vanilla pod/bean down its length and scrape the seeds out into the mixing bowl. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Slowly add the sifted dry ingredients and beat on low speed until combined.
Divide the mixture between the muffin cases. Bake in the preheated oven for 20–25 minutes or until well risen and a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let cool completely on a wire rack before decorating.
While the cupcakes are cooling down, make the chocolate buttercream.
Put the butter in a bowl and beat with an electric hand mixer until very soft and smooth. Sift half the sugar and half the cocoa powder into the bowl, beating until incorporated. Add the second half of the sugar and cocoa and beat on low speed. Slowly pour in the milk and when it is mixed in, beat for 3–5 minutes on a higher speed.
Spread the frosting over the cold cupcakes using a spatula, making it into a neat dome shape. Pour chocolate vermicelli/jimmies into a saucer and roll the tops of the cupcakes in the sprinkles to completely coat. Finish by dusting with edible glitter.
