We love a good bake sale at my workplace, quite often it’s for the hospital charity, but this time around we had one for a charity that one of my colleagues was involved with while she did VSO in Indonesia.

I made some “Rolo” Cupcakes like I have made before, and also some individual Bakewell Tarts, but then I decided to experiment a bit.

Almond and Chocolate Cupcakes Recipe

Ingredients

Cakes

210g butter/margarine

210g caster sugar

3 large eggs

70g ground almonds

140g self raising flour

1/4 tsp baking powder

few drops almond extract

Chocolate Ganache

50g dark chocolate, chopped

50ml double cream

Chocolate Topping

150g dark chocolate

Method

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F. Line a 12 cup muffin tin with liners.

Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and almond extract and beat again.

In a separate bowl, combine together the almonds, flour, and baking powder. Add to the butter mixture and mix until just combined.

Fill the prepared liners, and bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes.

Allow to cool.

Meanwhile, make the ganache. Heat the cream, then add the chopped chocolate and allow to sit for a few minutes. Then, mix together to form a shiny ganache, and allow to cool.

Next, assemble the cakes:

Cut cones out of the cooled cakes, by angling a sharp knife down towards the centre of the cakes. Cut the bottom of the cone (and eat!), then replace on top of the cake. Fill the space made by the absence of the cake with ganache, then press down the top of the cake. Next, melt the chocolate, and cover the tops of the cakes!

Chocolate and Almond.

A winning combination.