Chocolate and Cherry Cupcakes

Preheat the oven to 1800C/ Gas Mark 4.

In a large mixing bowl cream the butter and sugar until the mixture is pale and smooth â this should take 3-5 minutes using an Electric Hand Mixer.

Add the eggs and vanilla extract and beat again briefly â add the sifted flour and baking powder and beat the mixture again until itâs well combined.

Stir in the pieces of Dark Chocolate and Cherries using a wooden spoon (Make sure you do not crush the chocolate, otherwise when the cupcakes are baking, the chocolate wonât melt inside).

Carefully spoon the mixture into each of the cupcake cases, filling them to about two-thirds full.

Bake them in the oven for about 20-25 minutes â to check they are cooked, insert a skewer in the centre of the cakes which should come out clean.

Remove from the oven and leave the cakes in their tins for about 10 minutes before carefully placing on a wire rack to cool.

Once they are completely cool, ice the cupcakes with the Chocolate Buttercream icing using a mini palette or butter knife. For decoration, place 5-6 almonds on each top in a petal formation and a dot of white icing in the centre as the pollen.