Gluten free Mint choc chip Christmas cupcakes

I was recently asked if I would like to review some of new online store, Just Bake's cupcake decorations. Ooh! Yes please! After much consideration I chose Antique white foil cupcake cases, White snowflake cupcake wrappers, Edible silver sequins and Pearl white edible silk. I was thinking I could decorate my cupcakes with mini peppermint cream pearl white Christmas trees, decorated with the edible silver sequins to match the snowflake and white cupcake wrappers I had chosen. So I decided to make choc chip cupcakes with a mint chocolate ganache icing to sit my iced Christmas trees on...



Gluten-free choc chip cupcakes (makes 12 cupcakes)

Ingredients

• 2 large eggs
• 185g (1 1/4 cups) gluten-free self raising flour
• 125g unsalted butter, softened
• 150g (2/3 cup) caster sugar
• 80ml (1/2 cup) milk
• 150g dark chocolate chips
• 2 tbsp cocoa powder
• 1/2 tbsp vanilla essence

Cooking instructions

1. Heat oven to 170C (fan 150C)
2. Line baking tray with cases
3. Line a baking tray with baking paper
4. In a food mixer, beat the butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla essence and cocoa powder
5. Stir in sifted flour, chocolate chips and milk
6. Divide batter between the cases
7. Bake for about 25 mins until cakes bounce back when lightly pressed
8. Place on rack to cool

To decorate (for 12 cupcake sized cakes) Ingredients

• 142 ml Double cream
• 100g chopped Chocolate
• 1 tbsp golden caster sugar
• 1/2 tsp peppermint extract
• Ready to roll icing
• 1/2 tsp peppermint extract
• Sieved icing sugar
• Pearl white edible silk
• Edible silver sequins

Equipment

• Rolling pin
• Star cutters in different sizes

Instructions

1. Ganache: In a medium pan heat the cream and sugar until it is about to boil
2. Remove from the heat and pour over chopped chocolate and stir until chocolate has melted
3. Add 1/2 tsp peppermint extract and mix till you have a smooth consistency
4. Pour chocolate ganache over cooled cupcakes and leave to set
5. Add a few drops of peppermint extract to roll on icing.
6. Dust icing sugar onto a hard clean surface and roll out icing to 3mm thick.
7. Cut out 8 stars in different sizes, for each cake.
8. Layer up the stars, to form a tree.
9. Dust the top of the cakes with sieved icing sugar and place iced tree in the centre
10. Dust tips with edible silk using a damp brush
11. Sprinkle trees with edible sequins and glitter

For more beautiful cupcake decorations and cases check out Just Bake.

Have a sweet day!