Chocolate & Pumpkin Spiced Owl Cupcakes

Make the cupcakes

1. - Step 1Put 10 cupcake cases into the holes of a cupcake baking tin. Preheat the oven to 180℃/ 350℉.
2. - Step 2Measure the Mellow Yellow rapeseed oil, sugar, eggs, pumpkin puree and soured cream into a large mixing bowl.
3. - Step 3Weigh the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, pumpkin spice and salt into another bowl. Use a balloon whisk to mix the dry ingredients together.
4. - Step 4Use the same Balook whisk to beat the wet ingredients together until smooth.
5. - Step 5Sieve the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.
6. - Step 6Use the balloon whisk to stir all ingredients together - stop mixing as soon as no streaks of flour remain.
7. - Step 7Divide the mixture between the 10 baking cases (aim for around 65g of batter per cupcake – it should come to around the half way point of the cupcake cases).
8. - Step 8Bake in the preheated oven for 18-20 minutes until well risen and the top bounces back when lightly pressed with a finger.
9. - Step 9Allow the cakes to cool completely.

Make the buttercream

1. - Step 1Use electric beaters to cream the butter until smooth.
2. - Step 2Sieve half of the icing sugar into the butter and beat until combined.
3. - Step 3Beat in the maple syrup, pumpkin spice and salt
4. - Step 4Sieve the remaining icing sugar in and beat until the icing is smooth.
5. - Step 5Add the cream cheese and beat, on a low speed, until just combined. Do not overbeat as your icing will turn runny.
6. - Step 6Put 40g of the buttercream into a small bowl and mix in orange food colouring (for the beaks).
7. - Step 7Put 40g of buttercream into another bowl, melt 4 of the dark chocolate buttons and stir them into the buttercream (for the eyes).

Decorate the cupcakes

1. - Step 1Put the orange buttercream into a small piping bag fitted with a small petal nozzle.
2. - Step 2Put the brown buttercream into a small piping bag fitted with small round holed nozzle.
3. - Step 3Put the uncoloured buttercream into a large piping bag fitted with a wide round nozzle.
4. - Step 4Pipe a flat layer of uncoloured icing onto the top of each cupcake.
5. - Step 5Decorate:

• Cut a dark chocolate button in half and press both pieces into the top of the cupcake.
• Add 2 white chocolate buttons to form the whites of the eyes.
• Press 6 milk chocolate buttons into the exposed buttercream to form the feathered chest of the owl.
• Cut another dark chocolate button in half and press both pieces each side of the feathers to form the wings.
• Use the brown icing to pipe pupils onto the white chocolate eyes.
• Use the orange buttercream to pip a beak onto the cupcake between the eyes.
• Repeat steps for the remaining cupcakes.

Expert tips

If your chocolate buttons look a bit scratched when they come out of the packet give then a quick ‘polish’ with your thumb.

Replace the cream cheese with butter for a more classic buttercream topping.

To make very dark cupcakes replace 10g of the standard cocoa powder with black cocoa powder.

These owl cupcakes can be stored at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the fridge for up to 5 days. Enjoy!