Ingredients
100g (4oz) dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids), broken into pieces, plus an extra 50 g (2oz) to decorate
175g (6 oz) unsalted butter
225g (8oz) caster sugar
3 large eggs at room temperature
225g (8oz) self-raising flour
20g (3/4oz) cocoa powder
a pinch of salt
175g (6 oz) unsalted butter
225g (8oz) caster sugar
3 large eggs at room temperature
225g (8oz) self-raising flour
20g (3/4oz) cocoa powder
a pinch of salt
For the Chocolate Buttercream Icing
70g (2 1/2oz) unsalted butter, softened
150g (5oz) icing sugar, sifted
2 tbsp cocoa powder
1 tbsp milk
150g (5oz) icing sugar, sifted
2 tbsp cocoa powder
1 tbsp milk
Method
- Preheat the oven to 160C/325F/Gas 3 and line a 12-hole muffin tray with paper cases.
- Melt the chocolate and butter together in a heatproof bowl over a pan of gently simmering water (don’t allow the base of the bowl to touch the water). Remove from the heat and leave to cool.
- Beat the sugar and eggs in a bowl until thick & creamy, then fold into the cooled chocolate mixture. Sift in the flour, cocoa powder and salt and whisk for a further 20 seconds.
- Divide the batter evenly between the paper cases. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until well risen and just firm in the middle. Leave to cool for a few minutes in the muffin tray before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- To make the icing, beat the softened butter with half of the icing sugar until smooth, then add the remaining sugar, cocoa powder and milk. Whisk until fluffy.
- Pipe or spread the buttercream icing onto the muffins, then chop or grate the remaining 50g (20z) chocolate to decorate the tops.
