Scottish cupcakes for Burns Night recipe

Victoria Threader has created these delicious Scottish-themed cupcakes, using whisky buttercream on top of chocolate cupcakes, for Burns Night, which is the 25th January.

Ingredients

• 6 1/2 oz of plain flour sifted
• 6 oz of soft brown sugar
• 3 oz of unsalted butter (softened)
• 2 large eggs (separated)
• 4 oz of good quality dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids)
• 3/4 teaspoon of baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda
• 250 ml of semi skimmed milk at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon of good quality vanilla extract.
• Pinch of salt

Whiskey buttercream and piping bag

• 8 oz of softened unsalted butter
• 16 oz icing sugar
• 2 tablespoons of whiskey
• 1 tablespoon of baileys
• Blue and white coloured icing

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 160 fan/190/375/Gas mark 5. Line your muffin tray with papers x 12
2. Cut the chocolate in to small pieces and melt in the microwave on short 30 second bursts so as not to burn it or melt in a heat proof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water.
3. In a large bowl cream the butter and sugar until pale and smooth. This should take around 5 minutes with an electric hand mixer.
4. Whisk the egg yolks til light and fluffy and beat into the mixture. Add the melted chocolate (make sure it's not too hot) and beat well.
5. Combine the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt. Mix the milk and vanilla essence together. Add half the flour to the chocolate mixture and half the milk and beat well. Then add the other half of the flour and milk and beat well.
6. In a clean bowl whisk the egg whites until soft peak stage and carefully fold into the mixture with a metal spoon. Do not be tempted to beat it in otherwise you will knock the air out of the mixture.
7. Spoon into the cases and bake for 25 minutes or until firm to the touch.
8. Remove from the oven and leave for 15 minutes then place on a wire rack to completely cool.
9. For the buttercream, put all ingredients in a large bowl together and beat until smooth. Once completely cool swirl, pipe or spread the buttercream on the top and decorate.
10. Cut our rectangle of blue coloured icing and thin strips of white icing to create the flag design, position on top.

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