Hot chocolate cupcakes

Over the years, whenever I've wanted to bake chocolate cupcakes but have found that I've run out of cocoa powder, I've always found myself wondering if I could use hot chocolate powder instead. So, I developed a recipe that uses hot chocolate powder in place of cocoa!

This recipe involves making what is basically a small mug of hot chocolate, and then pouring it into the batter - hence the name. The main difference between cocoa and hot chocolate powder is the addition of sugar, so this is accounted for in the recipe.

Ingredients:

Makes about 15 cupcakes

75g hot chocolate powder
40ml boiling water
120ml milk
90g butter
120g caster sugar
45g light brown sugar
2 eggs
1tsp vanilla extract
210g plain flour
1tsp baking powder
0.5tsp bicarbonate of soda
45g melted chocolate

Optional: freshly whipped cream and marshmallows to decorate

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 160°C fan (or 180°C conventional). Line a cupcake tray with cases ready for the batter.
2. In a mug, mix the boiling water and hot chocolate powder to form a paste, and then gradually add the milk. Mix in the light brown sugar and then set aside to cool.
3. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and caster sugar.
4. Add the eggs one by one, completely stirring in the first before adding the second.
5. Add the vanilla extract to the bowl and mix to combine.
6. Add the flour, baking powder, and bicarbonate of soda, and mix into a thick batter. The batter is thicker at this stage because it will thin out when we add our hot chocolate mix.
7. Pour the mug of hot chocolate, milk and sugar from step 2 into the mixing bowl, and stir until the batter is homogenous.
8. Finally, fold in the melted chocolate.
9. Divide the mixture between cupcake cases, and then bake for around 20 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean.
10. Once cooled, you can decorate the cupcakes as you wish. In the photo, I've topped them with freshly whipped cream and mini marshmallows, just like a hot chocolate!