Malteser Cupcakes

So I made these for the boyfriend to have on his birthday, since both cakes were not for the actual day.  The idea came from my supervisor at work.  She likes making cakes too so we've been chatting about them quite a bit.  This was one she mentioned and I thought it would be a perfect little treat, especially as the boyfriend likes Maltesers.  I made a couple of alterations to the original idea, but for the most part they stayed the same.  And for the base cake recipe I used one that's written on my glass baking board.

They went down very well with the boyfriend.  He thought they were scrummy.  The buttercream is too sweet for me but I liked the cakes themselves.

Recipe - Makes about 8 

•  120g box of Maltesers 

Cakes:

• 125g/4.5oz butter
• 125g/4.5oz light brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 65g/2.3oz self-raising flour
• 30g/1oz plain flour 
• 65ml/2.2fl.oz milk 

Buttercream:

• 100g/3.5oz butter
• 200g/7oz icing sugar
• 2 tsp milk 
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4 and line eight holes in a 12 hole muffin tin with paper cases.
2. Set 16 Maltesers aside.
3. Put 50g/2oz Maltesers in a bag and crush into rough pieces with a rolling pin.
4. Cream the butter and sugar together in a bowl until pale and fluffy.
5. Add the vanilla extract and beat in.
6. Add the eggs one at a time, beating into the mix after each addition.
7. Add the milk and mix.
8. Sift the flours together into the bowl and fold in.
9. Fold in the crushed Maltesers.
10. Put 1 tbsp of mixture into each cake case, place a Malteser in each and then cover with the remaining mixture.
11. Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
12. Leave to cool on a rack.
13. To make the buttercream put the butter, icing sugar, vanilla extract and milk into a bowl and mix together.
14. Crush the remaining Maltesers (not the 8 still in reserve) into a fine dust and mix into the buttercream.  If you think it is too runny, add more icing sugar.
15. Pipe or spread the buttercream over the top of the cooled cakes.
16. Place a Malteser on top of each cake.