These Rudolph The Reindeer Cupcake have been nutritionist approved by Shelley from @shelleysgoodeats!

PREP TIME: 30mins
COOK TIME: 35mins
MAKES: 12

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup Plain Flour
• 1/4 tsp Baking soda
• 2 tsp Baking powder
• 3/4 cup unsweetened Cocoa Powder
• 75 g Butter Room Temp
• 1 cup caster sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup milk

Icing

• 180g Dark Chocolate
• 180mL Thickened Cream
• 12 Red mnm’s
• 24 White chocolate buttons
• 24 Mini Milk choc buttons
• 24 pretzels

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 160C and line a muffin tray with 12 paper muffin cases.
2. In a large bowl beat the butter and sugar with electric beaters until light and fluffy. Then beat in the eggs one at a time, then finally add in the vanilla.
3. Sift half the flour, baking soda, baking powder and cocoa into the mixture and fold in with a wooden spoon. Alternate the remaining flour with the milk together, carefully folding it in with a wooden spoon.
4. Spoon the cake mixture into the prepared muffin cases until ¾ full. Bake in the oven for 25-30mins or until cooked through. Allow to cool completely on a wire rack.

Meanwhile prepare the icing:

1. Heat the cream a bowl in the microwave for 1-2mins until warm to touch and thin in texture.
2. Add the roughly chopped chocolate into the cream and allow to sit for 10mins.
3. Whisk together the chocolate and cream to form a thick ganache.
4. Allow to cool slightly and then use your electric beaters to whip the ganache until light and fluffy.
5. Spread the cupcakes with ganache and then decorate.

To decorate:

Run a teaspoon under hot water. Use the hot spoon to press the back of the mini chocolate chips to slightly melt them, then press them onto the white chocolate buttons to form eyes. Arrange the decorations onto the cupcakes - two white buttons ‘eyes’, a red MnM ‘nose’ and two pretzel halves ‘antlers’