• 125g butter, softened
• 175g caster sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 200g self-raising flour
• 2tbsp cocoa powder
• 100ml milk
• 100g dark chocolate, melted
• Ganache Icing:
• 100g milk or dark chocolate, chopped
• 90ml double cream
• u00bdtsp butter or oil
• To Decorate:
• Giant chocolate buttons / mini pretzels/ Smarties or M&Mu2019s
• Mini marshmallows, sliced or white bits of fondant for eyes / black icing

1. Heat the cream to boiling point; add the butter and the chocolate and take off the heat. Stir with a whisk until melted and smooth. Set aside to cool completely. It will thicken on cooling and become spreadable.
2. Preheat the oven to 170 degrees Celsius. Line a 12-hole muffin tray with paper cases.
3. In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar together until light and creamy. Gradually beat in the eggs until well combined. Sift in the flour and cocoa powder and mix until combined. Fold in the milk and melted chocolate.
4. Spoon the mixture into the muffin cases and put into the preheat oven to bake for 20 – 25 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.
5. Decorate the cupcakes to look like reindeer. Spread the icing over the top of the cupcake. Press a chocolate button onto the cake as a nose, stick a red M&M on top of the button with a bit of icing. Use marshmallows or white fondant for the eyes and black icing for the pupils. Stick on pretzels for the ears and finish off with any extras.

Cooks tip! A chocolate butter icing can be used in place of the ganache, cream butter and cocoa and add icing sugar and mix until a thick and smooth icing.