Chocolate echidna cupcakes

Ingredients

• 60g butter, softened
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup milk
• 3/4 cup self-raising flour
• 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 1/3 cup caster sugar
• 4 chocolate chip cookies, finely chopped
• 1/2 x 200g packet pretzel sticks
• 24 licorice bullets
• 48 black cachous (see note)

Chocolate ganache

• 200g block dark chocolate, chopped
• 2/3 cup thickened cream
• 200g block milk chocolate, chopped

Method

1

Preheat oven to 180C/160C fan-forced. Grease a 24-hole, 1 1/2-tablespoon-capacity mini muffin pan.

2

Using an electric mixer, beat butter, vanilla, egg, milk, flour, cocoa and sugar on low speed until combined. Increase speed to high. Beat for 2 minutes or until smooth and creamy.

3

Add chopped cookies to batter. Fold until just combined. Divide mixture among prepared pan holes. Bake for 12 minutes or until cakes spring back when lightly touched. Stand in pan for 2 minutes. Transfer cakes to a wire rack lined with baking paper to cool completely.

4

Meanwhile, make chocolate ganache. Place dark chocolate and 1/2 the cream in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on MEDIUM (50%), stirring with a metal spoon every 30 seconds, for 2 minutes or until smooth. Repeat with milk chocolate and remaining cream in a separate microwave-safe bowl. Refrigerate for 1 hour or until spreadable.

5

Using a sharp knife, cut each pretzel stick on an angle into thirds. Using the picture as a guide, spread the front and a little of the top of 1 cake with a little milk chocolate ganache to form the face. Spread the remaining top of the cake with 3 teaspoons dark chocolate ganache to form the body, using a palette knife to create small spikes. Using the picture as a guide, press pretzel pieces, cut-side up, on an angle into the body to form spines.

6

Spread a little of the milk chocolate ganache onto 1 end of 1 bullet. Using the picture as a guide, press bullet into the cake to form a snout, holding until secure. Place 2 black cachous above the snout to form eyes. Repeat with remaining cakes, ganache mixtures, pretzel pieces, bullets and black cachous. Stand for 30 minutes. Serve.

Source: taste.com.au