Chocolate fairy cakes recipe

Top these chocolate fairy cakes with a rich and indulgent glossy chocolate frosting and plenty of sprinkles. 

Finish each fairy cake with a chocolate ganache-style icing. You can easily make the icing with melted chocolate, golden syrup, double cream and butter. Decorate with white chocolate curls, sprinkles, or chocolate buttons. These delightful chocolate fairy cakes are one of our favourite easy baking recipes for kids.

Ingredients

• 115g butter, softened
• 115g caster sugar
• 2 medium eggs, lightly beaten
• 1tsp vanilla extract
• 90g self-raising flour
• 25g cocoa powder
• 1-2tbsp milk

For the chocolate frosting:

• 115g plain chocolate, grated
• 1tbsp golden syrup
• 30g unsalted butter
• 100ml double cream
• Sprinkles, white chocolate curls, or chocolate buttons to decorate

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Fan 160C/Gas Mark 4. Line a 12-hole bun tray with 12 paper cases.
2. Place the butter and sugar in a mixing bowl and beat together until very pale and fluffy. Gradually beat in the eggs, a spoonful at a time. Beat well after each addition and if the mixture begins to curdle add a spoonful of the measured flour.
3. Beat in the vanilla extract then sift over the flour and cocoa powder and fold in gently with a metal spoon. Fold in enough of the milk to get a soft dropping consistency. Divide the mixture between the paper cases. Bake for 15-20mins until risen, golden and springy to the touch.
4. Leave the fairy cakes in the tray for about 5mins then transfer to a cooling rack and leave to cool completely.
5. To make the frosting, place the chocolate, syrup and butter in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Leave until melted then remove from the heat and stir until smooth. Stir in the double cream to make a smooth and thick frosting.
6. Spoon the chocolate frosting over the top of the fairy cakes and decorate with white chocolate curls. Leave in a cool place until set.

Top tips for making chocolate fairy cakes

For mini fairy cakes divide the cake mixture between 25 mini muffin cases and bake for only 12-15mins.

For the best results make sure that the eggs are at room temperature and the butter is very soft before you start baking.

If you forget to soften the butter, cut it into small pieces and leave in a warm place for 20 mins or grate it coarsely into the mixing bowl.

The un-frosted fairy cakes can be frozen for up to one month and the frosted cakes will keep in an airtight container for three to four days.

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