Lily Vanilli’s Devil's Delight Cupcakes

Preheat oven to 180c
Makes 12


Cupcake Mix

Ingredients


155g caster sugar 


60g unsalted butter at room temperature


1 large egg at room temperature


½ tsp vanilla extract


¼ tsp salt


105g plain flour


25g Divine Cocoa Powder


¼ tsp baking soda


95g sour cream


¼ cup strong espresso (cooled)


½ tsp fresh ground coffee 


4 squares Divine 85% Dark Chocolate chopped or broken into small chips
 

Method

•    Sift all the dry ingredients together (flour, cocoa, baking soda, salt), set aside.
•    Cream the butter and sugar together until very light and fluffy (around 5 mins with an electric mixer).  Add the egg and vanilla and beat until thoroughly incorporated.
•    Add the dry ingredients in 3 parts, alternating with the sour cream.  Then slowly add the cooled coffee and espresso powder, and finally stir in the chocolate chips.
•    Use an ice cream scoop to transfer to a lined baking pan – fill the cups ¾ full.
•    Bake in the middle rack of a preheated oven for 20 mins or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean.

Ganache Frosting



Ingredients


125g Divine 85% Dark Chocolate

Pinch of salt


50g caster sugar


300ml sour cream 


Squeeze of lemon juice



Method


Gently melt the chocolate using a double boiler.  Remove it from the heat and whisk in the sugar and a pinch of salt.  Now add the soured cream and ¼ tsp lemon juice, stirring all the time.  Be sure to add the cream before the chocolate has time to solidify.  Set this mixture aside.
Chocolate Devil’s Horns
Line cream horn tins with non-stick baking paper.  Break 80g Divine 85% Dark Chocolate into pieces and melt in a double boiler, stirring continuously.  Using a clean pastry or paint brush, apply a coating of melted chocolate to the inside of each lined tin.  Make sure you fill them all the way to the end and leave no cracks.  Leave this to cool and then apply another coating to the inside.  Set aside or leave in the fridge to firm.
Carefully remove the horns from the moulds, peel away the paper and store in the fridge.

Assembling 
Ice the cooled cupcakes with the ganache frosting & when you're ready to serve, top with the chocolate horns (2 per cupcake).

Lily Vanilli says, “The 85% bar is a new favourite of mine both for eating and for baking.  It has a rich, almost exotic flavour and the perfect bitter/sweet balance for a chocolate, while still retaining the velvety smooth texture that's characteristic of Divine. 
I have already made some beautiful puddings and cakes with it and am very excited to have it on my shelf!  With Divine, you're drawn to them because their products are Fairtrade but once you've tried it it's all about the chocolate”.

Adapted with permission from A Zombie Ate My Cupcake by Lily Vanilli.

Photograpy by David Munns.