Malteser Cupcakes

From the Cakes from the Cauldron ebook available for download via Amazon.

For the cakes: 50g (3 tablespoons) Horlicks powder (malted milk drink) 2 teaspoons cocoa powder 190g (1 1/4 cups) self raising flour 1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda 250g (1 1/4 cups) sugar 280g (10oz) butter, softened 4 large eggs 3 tablespoons milk

For the icing: 300g butter, softened 1 tablespoon Horlicks powder 4 tablespoons milk 675g icing sugar 100g maltesers plus some extra for decorating

(Maltesers = chocolate covered malt sweets)

Preheat the oven to 170C/375F/Gas 5

Pop all the dry cake ingredients into a bowl then add the eggs and butter - beat for about a minute.   Add in the milk and mix for another minute until fully combined (I use a food mixer).

Fill 12 muffin cakes or 24 fairy cake cases with the mixture.

Bake for 20 minutes then leave to cool on a wire tray.

For the icing...you can do the easy peasy way and purchase a tub of ready made buttercream icing and mix in a tablespoon of Horlicks powder and 100g of crushed Maltesers.  Ice the top of each cake and add a whole Malteser or two to decorate.

To make buttercream icing: Beat the butter until soft and light then sift in the icing sugar gradually, mixing well after each addition.  Add the Horlicks powder and the milk and beat until smooth.  Bash the Maltesers in a bag and stir the crushed sweets into the buttercream.