Cupcake Ingredients

• 2 cups hot strong coffee
• 1 cup cocoa powder
• 2¾ cups flour
• 2 teaspoons Baking Soda
• ¾ teaspoon Baking Powder
• ¼ teaspoon Salt
• 115g unsalted Butter
• 1 cup Sugar
• 2 cups Brown Sugar
• 1 tablespoon Vanilla extract
• 4 Eggs

Tip: You can get away with salted butter by reducing the amount of salt. Butters differ in their salt content, so no exact rule can be given for this.

Method

1. Mix cocoa powder and coffee until it resembles a smooth chocolate sauce; set aside to cool.
2. In a large bowl or stand mixer, cream butter, sugar, and brown sugar until nice and fluffy.
3. Sift flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together.
4. Add vanilla and eggs one at a time, beating well after each one. Slowly mix in sifted dry ingredients (about 2 minutes).
5. Add chocolate-coffee mixture and mix until the batter is smooth (about 2-3 minutes).
6. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners and fill with mixture until ⅔ full.
   Tip: Using ice cream scoops makes it easy to use the same amount for every cupcake.
7. Bake about 10-12 minutes in an oven pre-heated to 180°C. Due to the small size of these it is easy to overcook them, making them dry.
8. Cool in pan for 5 minutes before removing and allow to cool on a wire rack.
9. Decorate with chocolate icing, coffee icing, or a mixture of both.

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I found the source this recipe in the NZ Women's Weekly. (Don't ask!) It makes a very moist banana cake but only needs 2 ripe bananas. Years ago I made a banana cake and added extra banana...what a disaster.

Ingredients

• 125g butter, softened
• ¾ cup caster sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 large, ripe bananas, mashed
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 2 tablespoons boiling milk
• 1¼ cups self-raising flour, sifted

Method

1. Preheat oven to 150°C fan bake. (This is one time when I recommend doing this at the beginning, the rest of the methos is quick to do.
2. Grease a 22cm ring cake tin.
3. Beat butter and sugar until pale.
4. Beat in eggs, one at a time.
5. Stir in mashed bananas.
6. Dissolve baking soda in boiling milk and stir into beaten mixture.
7. Fold in the sifted flour.
8. Spoon mixture into the prepared cake tin, smoothing the surface.
9. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.
10. Allow to cool slightly (about 5 minutes) then remove from the tin.
11. Ice (frost) when cold with Chocolate Icing

I baked the one shown in a silicon ring mold, in a benchtop oven. I covered the top (base) with foil about half was through, so that the top element didn't burn it. In a larger oven this should not be an issue.
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This icing (frosting) is very easy to make, and it simple pours smoothly onto the cake. This recipe should be sufficient for an 20cm (8") cake, and will have some left over if adding it to a ring cake (as pictured).

Ingredients

• 50g (2oz) softened butter
• 1 cup icing sugar, sifted
• 2 tbsp cocoa powder, sifted
• 2 tbsp boiling water

Method

1. Beat together the butter and icing sugar
2. Beat in cocoa
3. Add the boiling water and beat until creamy.

Pour it onto your (cooled) cake, spreading as necessary.

I used to work with Leanne on nightfill at Writeprice supermarket. Sunday's we all had a turn to bring supper. This was well received.

Ingredients

• 125g butter
• 2 dessertspoons golden syrup
• 1½ cups flour
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 cup sugar
• ½ cup milk
• 1-2 tablespoons cocoa
• ¼ teaspoon mixed spice
• vanilla
• 1 teaspoon baking soda dissolved in ½ cup milk (extra)

Method

1. Melt butter, syrup, sugar, and milk together.
2. Add sifted flour, cocoa, and spices. Stir well.
3. Add vanilla and baking soda in milk.
4. Bake for 30 minutes at 180°C.
5. Ice with chocolate icing when cold.

Chocolate Icing

Ingredients

• 50g butter, softened
• 1 cup icing sugar
• 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 2 tablespoons boiling water

Method

1. Sift cocoa and icing sugar together.
2. Add butter and beat well.
3. Add boiling water and beat until creamy.
4. Spread over cake and allow to set.