Sheep Cupcakes

I have made these sheep cupcakes for Easter, a few years on the run and they always go down well. I make sure there is a variety of toppings for people to choose from, though you can of course just stick to the one if you like.

This is a fun recipe to make with kids as the actual bake is super quick and easy, then you can spend time on the fun part – decorating. But try to resist decorating whilst the cakes are still warm. Be patient, let them cool down completely before putting your icing on.

I picked up the sugar eyes from my local supermarket. I think most supermarkets with a decent baking section stock them now. But if yours doesn’t you can easily find them online.

Ready in 55mins + cooling (10mins make, 20mins bake, 15mins decoration prep, 10mins decorating) – Makes 12 cupcakes.

Ingredients:

• 100g of unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 100g of soft brown sugar
• 2x free-range eggs
• 100g of self-raising flour
• 50g of cocoa powder
• 100g of Nutella

• 150g of dark or milk chocolate
• 24 sugar eyes
• 100g of white chocolate
• 2 tablespoons of milk
• 150g of unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 300g of icing sugar

Method:

• Put 100g of butter and the soft brown sugar into a large bowl and cream together until well mixed and light.

• Mix together the flour and cocoa powder in a separate bowl.
• Add one egg and 2x heaped tablespoons of the flour and cocoa powder mix into the creamed butter and sugar and mix well.

• Repeat with the other egg, adding 2x more tablespoons of the flour and cocoa powder.
• Put the Nutella into a microwavable dish and heat for 30secs in the microwave until it’s runny.
• Add half of the Nutella to the mix, along with 2x more tablespoons of the flour and cocoa and mix well.

• Repeat with the rest of the Nutella and 2x more tablespoons of the flour and cocoa powder.
• Finally, mix in the rest of the flour and cocoa powder

• Preheat your oven to 180c/ 160c fan/ gas mark 4.
• Put 12 large cupcake cases into a muffin tin and spoon and equal amount of the cake mixture into each.

• Bake for 15-20mins, or until a skewer inserted into the middle of one of the cakes comes out clean. Turn the tray 180degrees half way through for an even bake.

• Allow to cool completely.

For the sheep faces:

• Break up the 150g of dark or milk chocolate into a microwavable dish and melt in the microwave in 20-30sec intervals, stirring in between (be careful, you don’t want it to burn)
• Pour the melted chocolate into a piping bag and snip a small hole in the end.

• Carefully pipe sheep faces onto a clean piece of baking paper, on a tray and add the eyes.

• Place the tray in the fridge to set.

For the topping:

• Put the white chocolate and milk into a microwavable dish and melt in the microwave in 20-30sec intervals, stirring in between (be careful, you don’t want it to burn)

• Put the 150g of butter into a large dish and beat until smooth.

• Sift 2x heaped tablespoons of icing sugar into the butter and add a tablespoon of chocolate and milk. Mix well.

• Repeat until all of the icing sugar and chocolate and milk are mixed in. You should have a smooth, thick icing.

Decorating:

• Put the icing into piping bag and snip the end.

• If you’re dunking your cakes into a loose topping such as desiccated coconut, pipe a ring around the outside of the cake.

• Dunk the cake, upside down in the topping and shake off the excess.

• Then pipe a dollop of icing into the middle and stick a sheep face on top.

• If you are using a larger topping such as mini marshmallows or chocolate chips, pipe a mound of icing on top of a cake.

• Place or pour the topping on top, leaving a gap in the very middle to stick your sheep face to.

• Store in an airtight container in the fridge.

If you liked this recipe, you might also like:

Lemon Bakewell Tarts

Mini Egg Cookies

Spinach and Ricotta Quiche