My sister's birthday

I couldn't make it up to see my younger sister on her birthday this year so naturally I sent my parents up with a cake precariously balanced under a Tupperware box on my mother’s knee in the car.  When we were little and got chocolate from the supermarket as a ‘treat’ my sister almost always had maltesers and nobody can say no to a chocolate cake so I wanted to combine the two for her birthday.

I've made cupcakes from the Hummingbird Bakery book and the recipes say if you double quantities you will have enough batter to make a 3-layer cake.  Obviously I had to try this to see if the rumours are true.

Whilst the sponge was very moist and light it was too light for a layer cake and every time I tried to move it, the cake almost fell apart - not ideal!  It did taste delicious though!

I don’t like sugary American frostings too much and have just learnt to make swiss meringue buttercream so I flavoured it chocolate and went to town icing the cake.  

Hummingbird chocolate cupcakes (makes 12 cupcakes; double quantities for layer cake)

100g plain flour
20g cocoa powder
140g caster sugar
1 1/2 tsps baking powder
pinch of salt
40g unsalted butter
120ml whole milk
1 egg
1/4 tsp vanilla extract

1) Preheat the oven to 170C
2) Combine flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder, salt and butter and beat on slow speed until everything is combined.
3) Whisk together the egg, milk and vanilla extract and slowly pour into the flour mixture, beating to combine - do not overmix.
4) Spoon the mix into the cases and bake for 20-25 minutes.  Allow to cool before icing.

*To make a layer cake double the quantities and use three 20 cm cake pans.*