Step 1
Combine cocoa powders, the coffee and hot water in a small bowl and stir until a thick, smooth paste forms. Set aside to “bloom”.
Step 2
Line a 12-hole regular muffin tin with paper cases and heat the oven to 170C fan-forced (190C conventional).
Step 3
Sift the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt into a large bowl.
Step 4
In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs and both sugars until smooth. Add the oil, kefir and vanilla and whisk until combined. Pour the wet ingredients into the sifted, dry ingredients, add the cocoa paste and whisk until the batter is smooth and fully incorporated. It will be a fairly runny batter.
Step 5
Divide the batter evenly between the paper cases (50-60g each; I like to use a large, latch-release ice-cream scoop for this), then bake for 18-20 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Leave to cool completely before icing.
Step 6
For the icing, place the cream cheese, butter and icing sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium-low speed for a minute or two, then increase to medium-high speed and continue to beat until pale and fluffy (about 2-3 minutes). Add the vanilla and salt and beat just until combined. If the mixture is runny, refrigerate for about 30 minutes to firm up before using.
Step 7
Peel the paper liners from the cooled cupcakes, then pipe or spoon a generous mound of cream-cheese icing onto each one (about 30g), leaving a narrow border of the black cake visible around the edge.
Step 8
Decorate with a selection of Halloween sweets. I like to scatter over a little “chocolate soil” made from a crushed Flake, then finish with a tangle of gummy worms, a cluster of candy eyeballs, chocolate tombstones or candy corn. There are no rules here: the more playful, the better!
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: www.smh.com.au
