My entry for this months WE SHOULD COCOA Challenge

Say hello to my entry for this months WE SHOULD COCOA challenge.

This month challenge is to come up with a recipe that includes both Chocolate and Chilli. It's not a cupcake challenge. The founders of the challenge are Choclette of Chocolate Log Blog and Chele of Chocolate Teapot as you can guess they are chocolate blogs. If you want to have a go to make absolutely ANYTHING that includes chocolate and chilli and enter it yourself, please visit Choclette for all the details and rules.



Start creating peeps.

To be honest with you today is a pj day for me and the kids (until I go back to work in Nov) there's nothing going on in my town on Thursdays so we stay in our snugglies and play all day. I hadn't planned on making any cakes today but when Harvey got fussy and nothing we did made him cheer up I decided to crack out the baking goodies.

This is a no fail plan as no matter what mood he is in (even a full blown tantrum) baking always turns my little devil child into a sweet little angel ~ as long as I let him lick the spoon, otherwise I'm in trouble!!

So..... I needed an excuse to bake yet another batch of cakes this week, hubby and I, so he says, are on a diet "BOO HISS" and this challenge gave me the perfect 3 fold excuse to make these.

1. The "We Should Cocoa" challenge requires chilli. (I have it in my cupboard = no money spent)
2. Chilli increases your metabolism = good for weight loss.
3. Our friend is eating spicy stuff to bring on labour so I'm shipping a couple over to her = won't be scoffed by us greedy "well proportioned" people!! :-)

KAPOW!! Take that hubby!

Now you know the why........ and here is the how.

Recipe ~ makes 6 cupcakes
80g butter
80g sugar
60g s/r flour
20g coco powder
1 large egg
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp chilli powder
1/4 tsp vanilla essence
2 tbsp semi-skimmed milk

1. Preheat oven to 180/GM 4 and line muffin tin with 6 muffin cases.
2. Place flour and powders in a separate bowl.
3. Cream the butter and sugar.
4. Add the egg and vanilla, mix until fully incorporated.
5. Add 1/2 the dry ingredients, fold until incorporated.
6. Add milk and fold in fully.
7. Add the other 1/2 of the dry ingredients and fold in until smooth.
8. Divide evenly into the cases and bake for 20-25 mins.
9. Place baked cakes on cooling rack to cool completely before you cover them.

For the topping I used Dr Oetker Scotbloc Milk Chocolate Cake Covering. I just melted 100g of it in my microwave 10 secs at a time until melted and smooth. Then I poured over my cakes and sprinkled on a little coloured desiccated coconut.

Et Voila!!!

BTW there is a very definite heaty kick at the back of your throat when you have one of these. If you're not a spice loving person either half the chilli powder, or don't make these :-)

Not for kids.

Enjoy x

xx Kat xx