Vanilla Cupcakes With Chocolate Malt Buttercream Frosting

There'll always be cupcakes. Even when good dates turn krazy.

Remember malt? Mmm, malt goodness. I always paid the 5c extra for malt in my milkshakes, even though up until yesterday I really didn't know what malt is. Who cares, it's malty and all good.

I used a basic vanilla cupcake recipe and topped it with plenty of buttercream frosting, which tastes like smooth creamy Malteasers.

NB: I don't think these cupcakes need decorating as the frosting is the *star* and there's something to be said for nice and simple. Also, leave them out of the fridge for about 30 minutes before you tuck in.

Basic Vanilla Cupcakes, makes 12
125g butter, softened
1 cup caster sugar
2 eggs
1 cup plain flour
3/4 ts baking powder
1/2 cup milk
1 ts vanilla extract
Pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 180C. Beat butter until soft. Add sugar, and beat until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time and beat until well incorporated. Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt, and add to the butter mixture. Beat again, then add the milk and vanilla and beat on low setting just until combined.
Spoon mixture into cupcake liners until 2/3 full. Bake for 20 minutes or until a knife comes out clean.

Chocolate Malt Buttercream Frosting
125g butter, softened
1 cup icing sugar
1 Ts unsweetened cocoa powder
1 heaped Ts malt extract (available in supermarkets, or use malted milk powder - adjust the amount of icing sugar to taste)

Using electric beaters, cream the butter until pale, then add the sugar and cocoa until combined and fluffy. Add the malt extract and beat on a low setting. Once cupcakes are cooled, frost to your heart's content.