Baking for Beginners: Every-Flavour Chocolate Cupcakes

Anyone who read (or watched) Harry Potter will remember Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans... well, these cupcakes are a bit like that. Except there aren't any nasty surprises lurking, just a variety of delicious chocolate bursts.

Here at DSHQ we're well known for creating unholy cake combinations, like these ever-popular Creme Egg Surprises. Everyone knows that once the Easter egg chocolate is long-finished, there are all the extras hanging around, those chocolate bars that you can't quite face on their own. Here's a way to combine them into a surprise round of cupcakes (perfect if there's any you don't like much). Kids will love to help make these, too.

Every Flavour Chocolate Cupcakes (Makes 8 large or 12 small)
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
You will need:

• A selection of chocolate bars, cut into pieces, or sweets, 8-12. (I used pieces of Snickers, Dairy Milk Caramel and a couple of random chocolates...)
• 125g butter, softened
• 125g caster sugar
• 2 free-range eggs
• 100g self-raising flour
• 15g cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp vanilla essence
• 2 tbsp milk
• A few squares of chocolate, to decorate

Make it!

1. Cut your chocolate bars into 1 inch pieces (if using), then put your chocolates in a ziplock bag or similar and place in the freezer for at least half an hour.
2. Preheat the oven to 180 C / 350 F / Gas Mark 4. Grease and line a muffin or cupcake tray with cupcake cases.
3. Cream together the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. 
4. Add in the eggs once at a time, with a spoonful of flour to stop the mixture from splitting. Beat well in between. 
5. Sift together the remaining flour and cocoa powder, and carefully fold in using a metal spoon. 
6. Gently stir in the milk and vanilla essence. 
7. Fill the cupcakes cases a quarter full, then take one of your frozen chocolate pieces and press gently into the middle of the batter. Cover the chocolate with more batter. Repeat with the others.
8. Bake for 20-25 minutes until firm and a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean. 
9. Remove from the tin and leave to cool for a few minutes on a wire rack. 
10. Melt a few squares of chocolate and drizzle it over the top of the cakes to decorate. Eat warm, whilst the surprise centres are still lovely and gooey...