Vanilla and Chocolate Cupcake Morsels

At this time of year people go nuts with Christmas cards, giving them to everyone and anyone, or so it seems. Unless it's someone who takes the time to write a personal message to each and every card recipient, they normally contain the standard 'to' and 'from' fields. To me, this is a massive waste of paper, especially when they get binned a couple of weeks down the line. So instead, I take edible Christmas treats to work, and this year it was mini cupcakes.

The below recipe is a halved version of a classic cupcake recipe from (yes, you guessed it) the Edmond's Cookery Book. I make 2 batches, one while the other is cooking. You can double the below to make one big batch if you want to, but I like making 1/2 chocolate and 1/2 vanilla.

The icing is my own recipe, but pretty standard, I am sure it's in a million recipe books.

For the cakes:

Ingredients:

65g dairy free spread

1/2 tsp vanilla essence

1/4 c caster sugar

1 egg

1/2 c self raising flour, sifted,

1 Tbs cocoa, sifted (leave out for the vanilla cakes)

1/2 tsp baking powder, sifted

2 Tbs soy milk

To make:

1) Prepare a mini cupcake tin with mini paper cases. Heat the oven to 190°c, gas mark 5.

2) Cream the spread and sugar, then mix in vanilla.

3) Add egg and mix well.

4) Sift in flour and other dry ingredients, then add milk.

5) 1/2 fill cupcake cases, and bake for about 10 minutes until risen and lightly golden.

6) Cool on a wire rack.

For the icing:

Ingredients:

25g dairy free spread, softened

2 c icing sugar, sifted

1 heaped Tbs cocoa, sifted

1/2 tsp vanilla essence

Hot water to mix

To make:

1) Mix the spread and icing sugar then divide into 2 bowls.

2) To one bowl, add the cocoa, then half the essence and a little hot water. Mix vigorously until you achieve a smooth consistency.

3) In the other bowl just add the other half of the essence and a little water. Mix as above. Ice the chocolate cakes with the vanilla icing, and the vanilla cakes with the chocolate.

4) Ice with a piping bag or a knife, dipping it in warm water as you go for a smooth finish.

5) Decorate with festive sprinkles.

Makes about 40 mini cupcakes.

Note: If you don't have a piping bag, you can use a sandwich bag - just put the icing in one corner of the bag and snip the corner off. Twist the top of the bag and twist as you go to push the icing out.