Malteaser Cupcakes

Hey girlies, these cupcakes go down beautifully with a cuppa! I have made 2 batches of these now and I think I may prefer them to my Carrot Cake! They are so easy and rise beautifully!

For the cupcakes:

200g softened butter

150g caster sugar

50g brown sugar

A couple of drops of vanilla extract

4 medium size eggs

200g plain flour

10g baking powder

Pinch of salt

80g Maltesers

For the buttercream:

250g butter

500g icing sugar sifted

A couple of drops of vanilla extract

55g roughly crushed Maltesers

Optional

Wilson 1M piping nozzle and piping bag for swirly tops

1. For the cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 180°C and line a cupcake/muffin tin with cupcake cases.

2. Cream together the butter and both sugars until it is light and fluffy. I like to use an electric hand whisk to do this with.

3. Add all the vanilla and then the eggs one at a time, whisking well after each addition. If the mixture begins to look like it has curdled add a couple of tbsp of the flour and beat well until the mixture looks smooth.

4. Using a metal spoon fold in the flour, baking powder and salt (add them altogether) and then stir in the Maltesers.

5. Divide the mixture equally between the 12 cupcake cases and bake in the oven for about 25 mins or until a skewer (or toothpick) inserted in to the middle of a cupcake comes out clean. Once cooked, remove from the oven and leave to cool in the tin. (I don't use a tin, I use silicone cases from Asda)

6. For the buttercream: Using an electric handwhisk, whisk together the butter, icing sugar and vanilla until it becomes pale and fluffy.

7. You can either dollop the buttercream on top of each cupcake and spread it around with a knife. Or for a more professional look fit a piping bag with a 1cm star nozzle and pipe the buttercream on top of the cupcakes. Sprinkle on some crushed Maltesers to finish.

IF YOU DONT USE A MUFFIN TRAY OR SILICONE CASES THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS! (they were still yummy!) =D

♥