I posted the Chocolate and Orange recipe recently as one of the Treats for a Halloween Trick or Treat Cupcake Platter. Today I have gone with a TRICK and made these Chocolate and Chilli Cupcakes. Don’t be deceived, they are absolutely delicious with the added spice. If you want them to be a real trick, pipe a spicy chilli jam into the centre!

I really enjoy these cupcakes and think you will too, they aren’t too spicy! If you are feeling sneaky add some extra spice, just be sure to remember which ones they are so you aren’t tricked later!

🛒 Ingredients 🛒 

For the cupcakes:

▪️175g butter

▪️175g caster sugar

▪️3 eggs

▪️125g self raising flour

▪️1 tsp baking powder

▪️40g cocoa powder

▪️1 grated chilli

▪️2 tsp vanilla extract

▪️Chilli Jam (for the centre . . . if you dare!)

For the icing:

▪️60g unsalted butter

▪️1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

▪️1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

▪️250g icing sugar

▪️1 tsp vanilla extract

▪️Red food dye (I used a gel)

👩‍🍳 Method 👩‍🍳 

1. Preheat the oven 180°C. Prepare your cupcake cases on a tray.
2. In a bowl cream together the butter and the sugar until pale. 
3. Add in one egg at a time and make sure you mix until it is fully combined before adding the next one. Then mix in the vanilla extract. If at any point the mixture begins to curdle, add in 1tbsp of your flour at a time, beat well between each addition until the mixture comes back together.
4. Next, sieve in the flour, baking powder and cocoa powder and fold through until completely mixed in. Add in the grated chilli and fold through.
5. Scoop the cake batter into your prepared cases and bake in the oven for 15 minutes, until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.
6. Remove from the oven and leave too cool on a wire rack for 5 – 10mins. In a piping bag with an open tip add the chilli jam, place the piping tip into the centre of the muffin and squeeze gently to fill. (Skip the filling step if you don’t want the added chilli jam).
7. To make the icing, beat the butter and vanilla in a bowl until it is pale. In a separate bowl, sift together the icing sugar, cinnamon and cayenne pepper. 
8. Add the icing sugar  mixture to the butter in stages. Whisk in each addition fully. Once you have added all of the icing sugar add in the food dye and stir until completely combined.
9. Pipe the buttercream onto your cupcakes and top with your favourite toppings.