Kokova Magazine

Chocolatier and baker Lisa Marley demonstrates how to be creative when baking with chocolate with Dr. Oetker's marbled, two tone peppermint cupcakes recipe.

Makes 10-12
30 mins to prepare, 20-22 minutes to cook

Ingredients

Cupcakes

• 150g golden caster sugar
• 150g margarine
• 150g self raising flour
• 2 medium free range eggs
• 75g Dr.Oetker Fine Cooks' Extra Dark Chocolate 72%
• 1 tsp. Dr. Oetker Madagascan Vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons of boiling water

Buttercream

• 250g of unsalted butter at room temperature
• 300g icing sugar
• 2 tablespoons of whole milk, room temperature
• 4/6 drops of Dr. Oetker American Peppermint extract - depending on taste
• 50g Dr.Oetker Fine Cooks' White Chocolate
• 50g Dr.Oetker Fine Cooks' Extra Dark Chocolate

Two tone chocolate shavings

• 25g Dr.Oetker Fine Cooks' White Chocolate (left over from buttercream recipe)
• 25g Dr.Oetker Fine Cooks' Extra Dark Chocolate (left over from buttercream recipe)

Procedure

Cupcake

1. Pre heat your oven to 180oC/35oF Gas mark 4 and line a muffin tray with Dr.Oetker muffin cases.
2. Over a Bain Marie melt the Dr. Oetker Fine Cooks’ White Chocolate and set aside, repeat with the Dr. Oetker Fine Cooks’ Dark Chocolate.
3. Beat the eggs and set aside.
4. Cream the margarine and golden caster sugar until pale, light and fluffy.
5. Add the Dr. Oetker Madagascan Vanilla extract, a tablespoon of the flour and half of the eggs and combine. Add another tablespoon of flour and the remaining egg mixture.
6. Sift the remaining flour and fold into the mixture.
7. Separate the batter in half and to one half add the white chocolate and the other the dark. Gently mix until completely combined. Add two tablespoons of boiling water and combine.
8. Fill the cupcake cases just over half way with equal amounts of each cupcake batter. Use a cocktail stick to swirl the two batters together.
9. Bake the cakes for 20-22 minutes or until they are firm to the touch. Check after 18 minutes as ovens may vary. All to cool.

Buttercream

1. Melt the Dr. Oetker Fine Cooks’ Dark Chocolate over a Bain Marie and set aside. Repeat with the Dr. Oetker Fine Cooks’ White Chocolate.
2. Cream the butter, milk and icing sugar and Dr. Oetker American Peppermint extract until light and fluffy.If you prefer a firmer buttercream add another 30 – 50g of icing sugar.
3. When combined, separate into two bowls. Add the melted Dr. Oetker Fine Cooks’ Dark Chocolate to one half of the buttercream and combine. Add the melted Dr. Oetker Fine Cooks’ White Chocolate to the remaining buttercream.
4. Fill a piping bag with the nozzle already in place with the two types of buttercream. Spoon each buttercream side by side so the bag is filled evenly with both buttercream.
5. Pipe onto cooled cupcakes.

Two tone chocolate shavings

1. Over a Bain Marie melt 25g of Dr. Oetker Fine Cooks’ Dark Chocolate and repeat with 25g of Dr. Oetker Fine Cooks' White Chocolate.
2. On a non-stick surface or marble slab pour out the Dr. Oetker Fine Cooks’ White Chocolate. Using a spatula move the chocolate around. This will allow it to cool and set. Repeat with the Dr. Oetker Fine Cooks’ Dark Chocolate and overlap with the white by two inches. Allow to cool but not completely set.
3. With a spatula scrape the chocolate towards you creating shavings and curls. Use these for decoration.

Tips:

• Adding the boiling water to the batter helps the chocolate release it flavour.
• Pre heat your oven at least 20 minutes before you start baking. This will ensure the cakes bake and rise beautifully.
• Butter, eggs, milk should all be at room temperature. Cold ingredients can cause the batter to curdle.
• Bake the cupcake tray in the middle of the oven.