Fudge-Frosted Chocolate Cupcakes

Fudge-Frosted Chocolate Cupcakes (prep+cook time 1 hour 10 minutes makes 24)

Ingredients:
Cupcakes
2 cups (500ml) hot water
75g cocoa powder, sifted
250g butter, softened
440g caster sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 eggs
225g plain flour
150g self-raising flour
1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
silver cachous

Fudge Frosting
50g butter, softened
1/4 cup (60ml) milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
25g cocoa powder
320g icing sugar

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 180degC/160degC fan-forced. Line two 12-hole (1/3 cup/80ml) muffin pans with paper cases.
2. Whisk the water and cocoa powder together in medium bowl.
3. Beat butter, sugar and vanilla extract in large bowl with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Fold in half of the combined sifted flour and soda then half of the cocoa mixture; stir in remaining flour mixture and cocoa mixture until just combined.
4. Divide mixture among paper cases; bake about 25 minutes. Cool cakes in pans 5 minutes before turning onto wire racks to cool.
5. Meanwhile, make fudge frosting. Spread frosting over cakes; decorate with cachous.

Fudge Frosting
1. Beat butter in medium bowl with electric mixer until light and fluffy.
2. Add milk, vanilla extract, sifted cocoa powder and half the sifted icing sugar; beat about 5 minutes or until light and fluffy.
3. Add remaining sifted icing sugar; beat a further 5 minutes.