Easter Nest Cupcakes

Happy Easter Everyone!!

Today it is Easter Sunday, which is notoriously the time of year for indulging in chocolate. This year I have five chocolate eggs all to myself to scoff, as well as a whole batch of cupcakes that I made. They are very, very easy to make, but look really effective for Easter, whether it's for afternoon tea or a buffet. And best of all, they taste delicious.

You will need: 5oz/140g self raising flour // 100g plain chocolate // 4oz/110g caster sugar // 1 or 2 packets of mini eggs // 5oz/140g icing sugar // 3oz/85g cocoa powder  //4oz/110g butter for the cake and 4oz/110g for the buttercream // 2 medium eggs

What to do:

1- Firstly melt the chocolate in a bain marie. The best way to do this is to boil water in a pan. Placing a glass bowl over the top, melt the chocolate in bowl using the heat from the steam. You can always melt chocolate using the microwave, but you have to be very, very careful not to burn the it. Once it's all melted, take it off the heat and put it aside to cool.

2- In a mixing bowl, beat the sugar and butter together until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, adding a little bit at a time into the mixture stirring well as you go. Next, fold in the flour a bit at a time until it is all incorporated into the mixture. Finally, pour the cooled chocolate into the mixture and mix in very, very well so that it is all one consistent colour

3- Line a muffin tin with cupcake cases (or double up on a baking tray if you don't own one). I used yellow as I thought there is no other colour as apt for Easter. Fill up the cases by about 2/3, then place on the middle shelf of a pre-heated oven at gas mark 4/ 180C for about 20 minutes. When they are springy to touch, take them out of the oven and leave them on a wire rack to cool.

4- Time to make the buttercream! Firstly, beat the butter in a large mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Mix the icing sugar and cocoa powder together, and then sift this in a little at a time into the bowl, mixing well. Keep mixing until all has been incorporated, and you should get a good piping consistency.

5- To make the nests, using a large star nozzle, pipe a ring around the edge of each cupcake. Fill in the centre of each cake with 3 mini eggs. I tried to use different colours for each until I ran out!

Finally, eat and enjoy!