Rocky Road Cupcakes

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 180 C (350 F) standard / 160 C (320 F) fan-forced. Line a 12 hole muffin tin with patty cases.
2. In a large mixing bowl, sift the flour, cocoa powders, baking soda, baking powder and then add the sugars – give it a stir. Pop the butter into the microwave for a short burst, 10 seconds or so at a time, until it is just melted. Give it a stir with a fork to eliminate any lumps.  In a separate mixing bowl, add the eggs, vanilla and butter and whisk together until smooth. Then add the wet mixture into the dry mixture, along with the buttermilk and gently fold until just combined.
3. Spoon the mixture into the prepared patty cases and pop into the oven. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until just cooked through. Set cakes out onto a wire rack and leave to cool completely.
4. To make the marshmallow frosting, fill a medium saucepan with a few inches of water and pop on a medium heat. In a small heatproof bowl, add your eggs whites, caster sugar and cream of tartar. Whisk together. Then pop the bowl over the saucepan, ensuring the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water. As the egg whites heat, whisk gently by hand the entire time. You’ll want to heat the egg whites to 50 C / 120 F which you can test by sticking a candy thermometer into the mixture or go by feel (the mixture should be hot to the touch) – should be around 5-6 minutes or so.
5. Then remove the bowl from the saucepan and place the mixture in the base of a stand mixer (or simply use a hand beater) and whisk on medium speed for approximately 5 minutes or until the mixture is fluffy, white and voluminous. Add the vanilla and beat for 30 seconds or so. Then add a few drops of pink food colouring and mix through. Grab your piping bag fitted with a large round or star shaped tip. Fill with the marshmallow fluff and pipe swirls onto each cupcake.
6. Make your Nutella Rocky Road. Then add a piece of Nutella Rocky Road onto each cupcake.