Cupcake Week Day 4 - Mint Chocolate Mango Cupcakes

Ok, so we know we're starting to deviate a lot now from the Indian inspiration but after 3 days without it, we were craving chocolate sponge!!! Plus we had a little mango left over from yesterday and we thought why not be different and go with mint? Although it is quite surprisingly not used much in Indian cuisine, mint is used in India as more of a medicinal herb and is often brewed alongside black tea to produce a stomach relaxing brew.

Mint and mango are sometimes paired to make a savoury dressing or condiment but today, we at Devnaa quite liked the sound of this mint chocolate mango cupcake and it has turned out to be our favourite so far this week! Chocolate and mint are of course a classic combination and the mango comes through right at the end providing a delicate tang that fits in perfectly.

Mint Chocolate Mango Cupcakes (makes 12)

Ingredients for Chocolate Sponge:
200g Butter
200g Sugar
1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
2 Eggs
150g Self Raising Flour
50g Cocoa Powder
100ml Soured Cream

Method:

• Pre heat oven to gas mark 4/180C/350F and line a cupcake tin with cases
• Cream the butter and sugar together until white and fluffy
• Beat in the vanilla extract followed by the eggs, one at a time
• Scrape down the sides of your bowl and beat well until smooth
• Sift together the flour and cocoa powder then slowly beat into the creamed mixture, adding the soured cream as needed until you have used up all of the dry ingredients and have reached a smooth creamy, dropping consistency batter
• Divide batter between the cupcake cases and bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean
• Cool completely on a wire rack

Ingredients for Mango Filling:
2 tblsp Dulce de Leche (only if you have it)
2 tblsp Mango Puree
2 tblsp Cream Cheese (4 tblsp if not using Dulce de Leche)
1 tblsp Sugar (only if not using Dulce de Leche)

Method:

• Mix together the dulce de leche (if using) and mango pulp until smooth
• Beat the cream cheese until smooth and then beat in the mango mixture
• Sweeten with sugar if using and keep refrigerated for about 30 minutes

Ingredients for Mint Buttercream:
200g Butter
350g Icing Sugar
1 tsp Peppermint Extract
Green Food Colouring (optional)

Method:

• Beat the cream until smooth and then beat in the peppermint extract
• Sift the icing sugar and gradually into the butter, a little at a time, making sugar it is completely incorporated and you have a smooth icing
• Mix in a little green food colouring if you like, just enough to get a light green peppermint shade.

Assembly:

• create a hole in the top of each cupcake using your finger to push the surface about half way down the cake
• Fill each hole with the mango filling until oozing generously over the top
• Allow to set in a cool place for 10 minutes
• Pipe or spoon your mint buttercream on top and sprinkle with a little grated or finely chopped dark chocolate
• Enjoy! :)