These delightful chocolate cupcakes, topped with charming edible bird’s nests and eggs, make the perfect Easter treat. Not only are they deliciously indulgent, but they’re also fun and easy to make, ideal for getting the kids involved in a bit of festive baking!
110g/4oz butter, softened at room temperature
110g/4oz caster sugar
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 tsp vanilla extract
110g/4oz self-raising flour, sifted
1-2 tbsp milk
140g/5oz butter, softened
280g/10oz icing sugar
1-2 tbsp milk
a few drops of vanilla extract
fondant icing
brown food colouring
pink food colouring
edible sugar pearls
chocolate mini eggs
Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas mark 4
Line a 12-hole muffin tin with paper cake cases
Cream the butter and sugar together in a bowl until pale.
Beat in the eggs a little at a time and stir in the vanilla extract
Fold in the flour using a large metal spoon, and add a little milk until the mixture is of a dropping consistency
Spoon the mixture into the cake cases until they are half full
Bake the cupcakes in the oven for 10-15 minutes. They are done when they are golden brown on the top and a skewer inserted into one of the cakes comes out clean
Set aside to cool for 5 minutes, then remove from the tin and allow to cool fully on a wire rack
Beat the butter in a bowl until soft
Add half the icing sugar and beat until smooth
Add the vanilla extract and the remaining icing sugar with one tablespoon of milk, adding more milk if necessary, until the mixture is smooth and creamy
Spoon the icing into a piping bag with a star nozzle and pipe the icing using a spiral motion onto the cupcakes in a large swirl
Divide the fondant icing in two and roll each piece into a ball, kneading until it’s soft and pliable
Using a toothpick to add a few dots of brown food colouring to one piece and pink food colouring to the other
Knead the colour into each fondant ball until it is evenly blended – you may need to add a few extra drops of food colouring to reach the right colour
Dust a surface with icing sugar and roll out the brown fondant, keeping the fondant moving so it doesn’t stick
Cut the brown fondant into long, thin strips, and arrange on top of the cakes in the shape of a nest
Roll out the pink fondant and cut or stamp out flower shapes adding a pearl ball to the centre of each
Pile a few chocolate eggs in the centre of each nest and decorate with the fondant flowers
