A week of baking ... (egg-free) chocolate ladybird cupcakes

I'm hoping I might just squeak in a baking contribution before Mike's yummy Week of Baking is over!

These ladybirds are from my birthday party archives. The cupcake part is super easy to make - all done with the flick of a switch in the food processor.

The decoration was inspired by the Australian Women's Weekly Kids Party Cakes cookbook. I used licorice, blue M & Ms and white writing icing gel to make the ladybirds. The butter icing was coloured with a Wilton gel, as its pretty tricky getting icing this red with regular food colouring (you can buy this from specialist decorating shops and online stores).

Serve these cakes at the end of a party, just before the children go home. You don't want to be around when the red icing kicks in.

Egg-free chocolate cupcakes

I make these cakes egg-free to cater for allergies in our family. If you don't have this worry, then simply use 2 fresh eggs in place of the No Egg powder and reduce the milk to 3 tablespoons.

125g butter, melted
1/2 cup caster sugar
2 heaped teaspoons Orgran No Egg*
1 cup plain flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
7 tablespoons milk

1. Preheat the oven 10 160 oC
2. Throw all the dry ingredients in a food processor and pulse to combine
3. Add the butter and process until combined
4. With the motor running, add the milk
5. Spoon into paper patty cases and bake for 20 minutes

* In Australia, Orgran No Egg powder is available in the health food aisle at the supermarket and in health food shops. It works very well in baked goods.