One-Pot Chocolate and Raspberry Cupcakes

• 120g butter, in small dice
• ½ cup neutral oil
• 1 cup water
• 100g dark chocolate (I use Whittaker's 72% Cocoa Dark Ghana), chopped
• ½ cup cocoa, sifted
• 1½ cups caster sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1½ tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 cup yoghurt or buttermilk
• 2 cups flour
• ¾ cup raspberries

In The Pink Frosting

• 120g butter
• 200g cream cheese
• 2 tbsp blackcurrant cordial
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 5-6 drops red food colouring
• 5 cups icing sugar, sifted
• candy sprinkles (optional to garnish)

Line 24 muffin pans with paper cases.

Melt butter, oil, water and chocolate in a medium-large pot over medium heat. Turn off heat and whisk in cocoa and caster sugar, making sure there are no lumps of cocoa. Whisk in eggs and vanilla.

Mix baking powder and baking soda into yoghurt or buttermilk then add to chocolate mixture with flour, whisking until evenly combined to a smooth batter. Stand for at least 10 minutes before cooking.

While mixture is standing, preheat oven to 180˚C fanbake. Spoon mixture into paper cases, using about 3 tbsp per cupcake to ¾ fill each case (it will be quite runny). Push 2-3 raspberries into each (if berries are frozen, stand cupcakes a further 10 minutes before cooking). Bake cupcakes until they are risen and the tops bounce back when gently pressed (about 20 minutes). Stand 5 minutes before lifting out of tins. Ice when cold.

To make In The Pink Frosting, bring butter and cream cheese to room temperature, then beat together with blackcurrant cordial, vanilla and colouring until creamy smooth. Add icing sugar and beat until smooth. Chill for 10 minutes. At this point the mixture should hold its texture when you spoon it. If it is too thin, add a little more icing sugar. Transfer to a piping bag and pipe onto cooled cupcakes, or spread with a knife. Garnish with candy sprinkles.

TIP

If you don't have blackcurrant cordial use any kind of berry juice (the juice from defrosted frozen berries is good) or just substitute water instead.