RECIPE: Lindor maple syrup cupcakes

Today I read an article in The Daily Telegraph titled "Why cupcakes are the new cocaine." Then I went and made cupcakes. Because I'm just mental like that.

As I'm home from uni for a few days (supposedly to get lots of exam revision done), I am making the most of having lots of yummy ingredients, utensils and the trusty AGA to hand - obviously I am getting my bake on. I made these Lindor cupcakes, and as so many friends/followers on Facebook and Twitter have just gone a little crazy over the picture I uploaded, I've sped to my blog to write up the recipe. Don't say I'm not good to you.

Pretty muffin cases always help.

Having eaten one of these freshly baked cupcakes a matter of minutes ago, I can tell you that they are deliciously decadent, so I decided not  to put any icing on top. If your sweet tooth was particularly bad, then of course you could... Go wild, eh? The maple syrup cupcake mix makes a nice change to standard vanilla, and the yoghurt keeps it delightfully moist. I also love that from the outside they look like plain cakes, then you bite into it and BOOM! They are absolutely delicious warmed up in the microwave for about 15 seconds, as then the Lindor centre goes all melty - add a scoop of vanilla ice cream and you've got a great dinner party pudding. 

To quote the cake connoisseur that is my mother: "Absolutely sensational cake!!" And trust me, this lady knows her stuff.

Enjoy, fellow sugar lovers.

It makes 12, and don't forget to take your butter and eggs out of the fridge well in advance so they're room temperature.

Ingredients

• 200g plain white flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 115g butter
• 150g light brown muscovado sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 115g natural yoghurt (if you use fat free stuff you can basically call these healthy...)
• 115g maple syrup
• 12 Lindt Lindor chocolates (I used milk chocolate and hazelnut ones but if you're a dark choc kinda kid then by all means knock yourselves out with those.)

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180C. Line a 12 cup muffin tin with paper cases.
2. Measure the flour, baking powder and salt into a medium mixing bowl.
3. In a separate larger mixing bowl, beat together the butter and sugar until light.
4. Beat in the eggs one at a time, followed by the vanilla extract.
5. Stir in the yoghurt and maple syrup.
6. Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet mixture, stirring as you go, only until it's just combined and no powdery bits remain... Don't overmix.
7. Divide the mixture evenly into the muffin cases - remember they rise so don't overfill!
8. Place a Lindor on to the middle of each and push down a little, but not too far, as when in the oven the cake mixture will rise up over the top, concealing the Lindor surprise nicely.
9. Bake for 16-18 minutes then leave to cool for a couple of minutes in the tin, before transferring the cakes to a rack for them to finish cooling before being scoffed (if you can wait that long!)

Pre-baking!

As ever, let me know what you think and how you get on! I don't think these babies will be around for long in my family, that's for sure.