Whilst I absolutely love baking, it’s problematic when there are only two of us in the house; I’m a staunch advocate of enjoying good food without guilt, but nobody needs to eat half a cake. So on the occasions when I do bake, I usually take most of it to the office to share with my workmates.

So few people have ovens in Singapore, that baking is seen as something akin to voodoo: a mysterious power wielded by a select few who’s top secret knowledge is handed down through generations, making it impossible for the uninitiated to ever bake a cake for themselves. Instead they settle for the commercial and highly processed variety which are either so fluffy they’re almost air, or a stomach-churning-density truffle. Hence my blue cake tin is a source of great happiness amongst those near my desk, so much so that I usually feel a little guilty. The immense gratitude my workmates shower on me isn’t quite justified by a relatively short amount of time I spent in the kitchen.

So, for my nearest neighbour’s birthday I decided to invest a little more effort in creating her gift. Presented in a white box with a red ribbon, these cupcakes were definitely worthy of the gratitude.

Choc Brownie Cupcakes

This recipe is from Curtis Stone. As usual I amended it a little to match the ingredients in my cupboard and it worked beautifully however this blog has the original version if you’re a purist.

170 grams of good quality dark chocolate (70% cocoa if possible)
120 grams unsalted butter
1tbs cup of maple syrup
3/4 cup of caster sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup of plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
2/3 cup of chopped macadamia nuts
12 rasberries

Icing
250 grams of cream cheese
1/3 cup of maple syrup
120 grams of good quality dark chocolate (again 70% cocoa is best)

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees. Combine chocolate and butter in a heat proof bowl over simmering water (making sure the bowl doesn’t touch the water) and stir until smooth. Mix in the maple syrup and a pinch of salt and set aside.

Beat the sugar and eggs for a few minutes then stir in the chocolate mix. Add flour and baking powder and stir until just combined. Add the nuts and stir through.

Spoon the mixture into a cupcake tray lined with cupcake liners. Curtis suggests 8 but I divided the mixture into a more modest 12 cupcakes. Bake for 20 – 25 minutes until the cupcakes puff and crack on top (brownie-style) and a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. Remove the cupcakes and let them cool completely.

To make the icing, beat the cream cheese until it’s light and fluffy. Add the maple syrup and beat for another 3 – 5 minutes. To melt the chocolate, put it in a heatproof glass bowl over simmering water (again make sure the bowl doesn’t touch the water) and stir until the chocolate melts. Allow to cool slightly, then add to the cream cheese mixture and beat until blended and fluffy.

Spread the icing over the cupcakes and top with a single rasberry.

The moral of this story is that good food and graciousness are poles in a virtuous circle. Make sure the cook in your life knows how much you like their creations, and you will be increasingly rewarded.