Doggie cupcakes

Preparation time:: 40 mins

Cooking time:: 20 mins

Makes:: 12

Use this easy recipe to whip up cute animal cupcakes for your next kid's party!

Ingredients

100g unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla essence
2 eggs
1 cup self-raising flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/3 cup milk
20 jersey caramels
6 marshmallows, halved horizontally
Queen White Writing and Decorating Fudge
12 mini M&M’s
12 black jellybeans

6 pink or red jellybeans, halved

Icing

125g unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/3 cups icing sugar mixture
2 tblsps cocoa powder

Method

1 Line a 12-hole muffin pan (1/3 cup-capacity) with paper cases.

2 Beat butter, sugar and essence with an electric mixer until fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time. Add combined sifted flour and cocoa with milk, in two batches. Stir until just combined. Divide evenly among cases.

3 Cook in a moderate oven (180C) for 20 minutes, or until cooked. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

4 To make icing, beat butter with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in icing sugar and sifted cocoa until combined.

5 To make ears, place half the caramels on a microwave-safe plate. Microwave on High power for 10 to 15 seconds, or until just softened. Knead until smooth. Roll out between two sheets of baking paper until 3mm thick. Using kitchen scissors, cut out 24 small triangles. Set aside.

6 Repeat with remaining caramels. Cut out 12 circles using a 5cm-round cutter.

7 Spread icing evenly over cakes. Arrange caramel triangles on cakes for ears. To make muzzle, place marshmallow halves on cakes. Drape caramel circles over top. Using fudge as glue, attach mini M&M’s and jellybeans.