Chocolate Mocha Cupcakes

Serves 16

• 200g 70% dark chocolate (I used Green & Blacks)
• 170g unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 350g soft brown sugar
• 3 duck egg yolks
• 185g wholemeal plain flour
• 185g white plain flour
• 1½ tsp baking powder
• 1½ tsp bicarb of soda
• ½ tsp salt
• 250g Greek yogurt
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 150g unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 300g icing sugar, sifted
• 2 tsp instant espresso coffee (dissolved in a little water)
• 1 tbsp semi-skimmed or full fat milk

For the cupcakes

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Melt the chocolate in a bain marie and leave to cool. Cream the softened butter with the sugar until pale and fluffy. Stir in the yolks, followed by the melted cooled chocolate.

Sift the two flours with the bicarbonate of soda, baking powder, and salt. Fold into butter mixture, along with 250ml water. Fold in the yogurt and vanilla extract.

Spoon into paper muffin cases sitting in a muffin tray, and bake for 20 minutes on the middle shelf of the oven. Turn out onto a wire rack to cool. Careful: they are light in texture so very delicate!

For the icing

Beat the butter with the icing sugar, coffee and milk until smooth. Spread or pipe over each cooled cupcake.

In the absence of chocolate-covered coffee beans, I gave mine two different toppings: grated white chocolate, and blueberries.