Easter Chick and Bunny Cupcakes

Get in the Easter spirit witih these Chick and Bunny Chocolate Cupcakes! Slice to reveal the hidden centre, and top with candid Easter eggs and cute meringue chicks and bunnies. 

Equipment

Tala Performance 12 Cup Bun Tin 
Tala Decorating Star, leaf and Grass Icing Set 
Tala Originals Set of 3 Cake Tins
Tala Stoneware Dusty Pink Mixing Bowl
Tala Originals Cocoa Shaker 

Cupcakes

230g plain flour

20g cocoa powder

230g golden caster sugar

1/4tsp bicarbonate of soda

100g chocolate chips

2 medium eggs

160ml cold coffee

1tsp vanilla bean paste

160ml buttermilk

140ml vegetable oil

12 mini cream eggs (foil removed, frozen)

Chocolate buttercream

150g unsalted butter

270g icing sugar

2tbsp milk

90g chocolate chips

Meringue bunny & chicks

1 large egg white (approx 40g)

80g caster sugar

Yellow food gel

Edible pens

To decorate

Mini eggs

Meringue Rabbit & Chicks

1. Heat oven to 100’fan and line a baking tray with baking parchment.
2. In a mixer, whisk egg white until frothy and dry, then add the sugar a spoonful at a time, until all sugar is used up and the meringue is thick and glossy and you can’t feel sugar when you rub a little mixture between your fingers.
3. Place half the meringue mixture into a piping bag with a round nozzle, and pipe a large flat circle, with two smaller ones towards the bottom. Use a damp finger to flatten the peaks. These form the rabbits body and feet. Switch the nozzle to a small star and pipe a small star on top, this will be the tail.
4. Add a little yellow food gel to the remaining meringue mixture.
5. Place meringue in a piping bag fitted with a round nozzle and pipe small triangular shapes onto baking paper, a few with one smaller triangle on top to create larger chicks and bake for 30-35 minutes or until dry to touch. Leave to cool.
6. When cool, draw some eyes, a beak and some feet onto the meringues with edible pens to look like little chicks and rabbits.

Cupcakes

1. Preheat oven to 160 fan and fill a cupcake tin with 12 paper cases.
2. Place flour, cocoa, sugar and bicarb in a large bowl and mix together creating a well in the centre. Add eggs, coffee, vanilla, buttermilk and vegetable to a jug and gently whisk.
3. Pour wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry, mix well then fold in chocolate chips.
4. Fill paper cases half way, and place a cream egg in each centre. Top with remaining batter and bake for 20-25 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. Pop on wire rack to cool.

Chocolate buttercream

1. Place chocolate chips in a bowl over a pan of simmering water and gently heat until melted. Leave to cool.
2. Beat butter until light and fluffy, then add icing sugar in two additions and beat until fully incorporated and light and fluffy.
3. Add milk and mix well.
4. Mix in melted chocolate and place into a piping bag fitted with a star nozzle.
5. Pipe a large swirl on top of each cupcake, top with meringues and mini eggs.