As you may have noticed a lot of my recipes here on my blog include chocolate. Reason why? Well who doesn’t like chocolate? I find it’s always a massive hit.
So to my excitement I was asked to team up with Lily O’brien’s to create a desert inspired by their delicious chocolates.
It was a real struggle to pick a chocolate to base my dessert on as I wanted to do them all…..so that’s exactly what I did!
Lily’s O’Briens Dessert Chocolate Collection includes a selection of the world’s best loved dessert recipes including Raspberry Infusion, Key Limey Pie, Banoffee Pie, Passion Fruit Posset, Creme Brulee and Hazelnut Torte!
Raspberry Chocolate Cupcakes
The combination of chocolate and raspberries is to die for! The cupcakes are delicious on their own simply sprinkled with icing sugar but with the added addition of chocolate ganache and raspberry buttercream they’re irresistible. The raspberry buttercream is divine and it’s color is all natural from the pureed raspberries making it the most beautiful pale pink.
- 125g Butter (unsalted)
- 75g Dark chocolate (broken into pieces)
- 1 tsp Coffee granules
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract
- 150g light muscovado sugar
- 2Eggs
- 1 tsp Baking powder
- 225g Self-raising white flour
- 150ml Water
- 450ml Raspberries (plus extra to decorate)
- 160g fresh raspberries
- 150g unsalted butter, softened
- 300g icing sugar, sifted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
- 2-3 tablespoon milk
- 50g dark chocolate
- 15ml double creme
- Preheat the oven to 200°C (fan 180°C, gas mark 6) and line a cupcake tin with paper cases.
- Melt the butter in a large heatproof bowl placed over a saucepan of barely simmering water, making sure the bowl does not touch the surface of the water.
- When it is half melted, add the chocolate. When the chocolate is completely melted remove from the heat and stir to mix in any lumps, then allow to cool for a few minutes.
- Dissolve the coffee in the vanilla extract, then add this mixture and the sugar to the cooled chocolate and butter. When these are fully mixed together, add the eggs and mix in.
- Sift the baking powder and the flour into the mixture and beat until all ingredients are well incorporated and the batter is thick. Then stir in the water a little at a time, making sure the liquid is entirely absorbed into the batter.
- Divide the mixture between the paper cases, filling each about half full. Place 2 raspberries on the surface of each – they will sink into the batter. Then fill each case almost to the top and place another fresh raspberry on top.
- Bake for about 25 minutes, or until each cupcake is firm to the touch or a skewer comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- To make the buttercream blitz the raspberries in a food processor or blender until pureed. Then pass through a sieve into a small saucepan. Heat gently and reduce by about half – this will take approx 5 minutes. Pour the thickened raspberry puree into a bowl and chill while you make the buttercream.
- Add the softened butter to a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Cream on a medium speed for about a minute, add the sifted icing sugar and the vanilla extract and mix together on a low speed until the butter and sugar has combined. Now turn up the speed to medium and cream for another 8 minutes – remember to stop the mixer and scrape down the sides and bottom of the mixing bowl. Once the buttercream is fluffy add the raspberry puree and milk and mix on low speed for another minute to combine.
- Once the cupcakes have cooled, pipe the buttercream on top of each cupcake and then spoon 1 teaspoon of chocolate ganache over the top and press a berry in.
- To make ganache you just throw your favorite chocolate in a bowl (I prefer dark chocolate for ganache) and then pour hot whipping cream over it and let it sit for 2 minutes. After two minutes the chocolate has warmed up and melted so with a few seconds of whisking you have gorgeous ganache.
Key Lime Pie Cupcakes
These delicious, tangy key lime cupcakes are simple to make and have a soft, citrus-infused moist sponge and a light and creamy white chocolate buttercream on top – a great spin on a classic dessert recipe.
- 150g butter
- 150g self-raising flour
- 175g golden caster sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 3tbsps milk
- 3tbsp lime juice
- Zest of 2 limes
- ¼tsp baking powder
- 12tsp lemon curd
- 4 crushed ginger biscuits
- 1 lime, sliced
- 230g salted butter, softened
- 250g icing sugar, sifted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 175g white chocolate
- 60ml double cream or milk
- Preheat the oven to 160°C and line your muffin tray with cases. Add the lime juice to the milk and leave to one side. Beat the butter and sugar together until light in colour, add the eggs, sifted flour, baking powder and beat again. Add the lime zest, milk and lemon curd and beat again until just combined.
- Divide the mixture between the 12 cases and bake for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool in the tin for 5 minutes before moving onto a wire rack.
- When the cakes are cool, remove the centre from the cakes with an apple corer. Add one teaspoon of lemon curd to each cake the replace the sponge centre.
- To make the buttercream melt the white chocolate over a bain-marie. Leave to cool. As the chocolate cools, cream the butter for about a minute or two to soften. Now add the sifted icing sugar in two batches along with the vanilla and beat for another 5 minutes until the frosting is fluffy and light. Mix in the melted chocolate followed by the cream/milk.
- Pipe the buttercream onto your cupcakes and sprinkle crushed ginger biscuits around the edge of the piped buttercream. Add a slice of lime to decorate.
Banoffee Cupcakes
If you love Banoffee Pie and cake, then these little beauties are just for you. A banana filled cupcake is topped with a thin layer of dulce de leche, then finished off with dulce de leech icing. The bottom of the cupcake – the actual cupcake – is all about the banana. and the top is all about dulce de leech! Whats not to love!!
- 2 bananas
- 50g sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 50g oil
- 125g Self Raising White Flour
- 670g icing sugar
- 210g unsalted butter
- 5 tbsp whole milk
- 30g dulce de leche
- 50g dulce de leche
- banana chips
- Stand the cupcake cases in the holes of a tart tray and pre-heat the oven to 180C.
- Put one banana into a bowl and mash it into a paste.
- Mix in the sugar, egg and vanilla.Beat in the oil. Sieve the flour into the bowl and stir to combine.
- Divide the mixture between the prepared cake cases.
- Slice the remaining banana thinly and lay the slices on the cakes.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes. Transfer the cakes onto a wire rack and leave to cool.
- For the buttercream, use an electric whisk to beat together the icing sugar and butter until well combined. Gradually add the milk while mixing on a slow speed to make a smooth icing. Add the dulce de leche and mix thoroughly. Turn up the speed and beat until for a further 5-10 minutes, or until the icing is light and fluffy. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a large star nozzle.
- Spread a layer of dulce de leech over your cupcake then pipe a swirl of buttercream on top. Decorate with a banana chip.
Passionfruit Cupcakes
These cupcakes bake up so perfectly. They are light, tender and soft with a really great hit of passionfruit and a whipped white chocolate buttercream icing.
- 185 g unsalted butter, softened
- 170 g caster sugar
- 1 teaspoon natural vanilla extract
- 3 eggs
- 125 g cream cheese, softened
- 1 tablespoon fresh passionfruit pulp (1 passionfruit)
- 125 g self-raising flour
- 30 g plain (all-purpose) flour
- 60 ml milk
- 230g salted butter, softened
- 250g icing sugar, sifted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 175g white chocolate
- 60ml double cream or milk
- Preheat the oven to 180°C . Line 12 standard muffin tin with paper cases.
- Beat the butter, sugar and vanilla together with electric beaters until light and creamy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the cream cheese and passionfruit and beat until smooth. Sift the flours together and fold in alternately with the milk.
- Divide the mixture evenly among the cases. Bake for 15 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean when inserted into the centre of a cake. Transfer onto a wire rack to cool.
- To make the buttercream melt the white chocolate over a bain-marie. Leave to cool. As the chocolate cools, cream the butter for about a minute or two to soften. Now add the sifted icing sugar in two batches along with the vanilla and beat for another 5 minutes until the frosting is fluffy and light. Mix in the melted chocolate followed by the cream/milk.
- Pipe the buttercream onto your cupcakes and spoon over a tsp of passionfruit.
Creme Brûlée Cupcakes
If you are like me and love French pastries then you’ll adore these cupcakes. Not only do you get a delicious homemade cupcake but you also get a rich, vanilla bean pastry cream topping that’s generously coated with sugar and brûléed to a crisp and crunchy perfection.
- 4 medium free-range egg yolks
- 65g caster sugar
- 15g plain flour
- 15g cornflour
- 350ml whole milk
- ½ tsp vanilla bean paste
- icing sugar, for dusting
- 3 tbsp custard powder
- 140g slightly salted butter, softened
- 140g golden caster sugar
- 3 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 140g self-raising flour
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs and sugar until they turn a pale gold colour. Whisk in the flour and cornflour and set aside.
- Place the milk and vanilla bean paste in a heavy-bottomed saucepan, bring to a gentle simmer, stirring frequently. Remove the pan from the heat and let cool for 30 seconds.
- Slowly pour half of the hot milk onto the egg mixture, whisking all the time, then return the mixture to the remaining milk in the pan. It is important to slowly pour the hot milk onto the cold eggs before you return the mixture to the pan to prevent the eggs from scrambling.
- Bring the mixture back to the boil and simmer for one minute, whisking continuously, or until smooth.
- Pour the cream into a clean bowl and dust with icing sugar to prevent a skin forming. Cool as quickly as possible, by sitting the bowl of pastry cream in another larger bowl of ice water. When cooled, refrigerate until needed.
- Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan. Line a 12-hole muffin tin with muffin cases. In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar together, using an electric whisk, until light and fluffy. Slowly add the eggs and vanilla extract, whisking well after each addition. Fold in the flour, then stir through the custard powder. Divide the mixture between the muffin cases and bake for 18-20 mins until lightly golden, and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Leave to cool on wire racks.
- Spread chilled pastry cream over the cooled cupcakes into an even layer. Working with one cupcake at a time, sprinkle the pastry cream with sugar then heat with a kitchen torch until sugar begins to melt and caramelise.
Hazelnut Torte cupcakes
Sometimes chocolate alone just won’t do, which is why I’ve added irresistible hazelnut chocolate spread to these cupcakes. Decorate with hazelnuts for extra crunch.
- 175g unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 175g golden caster sugar
- 3 large eggs, free-range or organic
- 200g self-raising flour, sifted
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 4 tbsp milk
- 12 tsp Nutella chocolate hazelnut spread
- 300g good-quality milk chocolate
- 60ml double cream
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 250g Nutella chocolate hazelnut spread
- chopped hazelnuts
- Preheat the oven to 180°C and line a 12-hole muffin tray with muffin cases.
- In a bowl cream the butter and sugar with an electric hand mixer until the mixture is pale and smooth. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, mixing briefly after each addition. Gradually beat in the flour, baking powder and cinnamon and then the milk. Heat the Nutella in a small pan on the hob until very slightly warm. Divide the batter evenly between the muffin cases, to about two-thirds full. Spoon a teaspoonful of the warmed Nutella on top of each and gently swirl it through the batter with a skewer or small spoon. Bake in the centre of the oven for 20-25 minutes, or until raised and golden brown and a skewer inserted into the centre of one of the cakes comes out clean. Allow the cupcakes to cool in their tin for 10 minutes before turning them out onto a wire rack.
- Melt the chocolate either in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water on the hob, or in a microsafe bowl in the microwave (heat on a medium heat for 1 minute, stir and then heat for a further minute, taking care not to burn the chocolate). When the chocolate is melted and runny, pour into a large mixing bowl and allow to cool slightly.
- Add the double cream, butter and vanilla extract and beat well with an electric hand mixer. Beat in the Nutella until the icing is smooth and creamy. It should be suitable to use straight away, but if it is a little runny put it into the fridge for half an hour or so.
- Pipe the buttercream on the cooled cupcakes using a str nozzle and sprinkle with chopped hazelnuts.


















