Chilli Chocolate Cupcakes

Hi, foodies.  The Cupcake Odyssey has flagged a little and I apologise.  I have been busy (new job, toddler), distracted (ice cream machine), and just plain uninspired.  I recently jumped back on the cupcake bandwagon however, and I have a roaring success of a recipe for the more adventurous of my foodie friends.

Chilli and chocolate is a combination that has been done before, certainly – but it’s a good one and one that the men in my family are particularly fond of.  So naturally it was my husband who suggested this as a weekend project when I was suffering from that common middle-class malaise, ennui.

The beauty of this recipe is you can make them as strong or subtle as you like.  I went for a bit of heat – noticeable but not offensive unless you are very sensitive to chilli. I’d recommend starting with about a teaspoon of chilli powder and adding to taste to a maximum of about a tablespoon.

Chilli Cupcakes (makes approx. 24)

125g butter
¾ cup caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla essence
Chilli powder, to taste
3 eggs
1½ cups flour
½ cup milk

Beat butter, sugar, vanilla and 1 teaspoon of chilli powder until light and fluffy.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating lightly after each egg.  Add flour and milk and beat until just smooth.  Taste the batter, and add more chilli powder until the desired level of heat is achieved.  Try not to over-beat the batter as it could split.  Divide into cupcake papers and bake at 180° for 20 minutes (use the knife test to make sure they are cooked).  While your cupcakes are cooking, make the chocolate icing!

Chocolate Ganache

65g good quality dark chocolate (I used Lindt 70%)
65g good quality white chocolate
4 tbsp heavy cream

Add one type of chocolate and two tablespoons of cream to each of two small saucepans over low heat.  Stir continuously until chocolate melts.  If the mixture gets too thick, add extra cream a little at a time.  Once you have reached a good consistency, remove from the heat and allow to cool completely before spreading on the (also cooled) cupcakes (because if everything isn’t cooled completely it will melt and run off the sides!)