Chocolate and Chestnut Cupcakes

Do you have cans in your cupboard that have been there for years? I mean literally YEARS?I do, or rather I did. A can of chestnut puree that I’d been meaning to use every Christmas, but never quite got round to.

‘Chestnuts roasting on an open fire’ is a lyric that kept popping into my head every time I saw that can and as that’s from ‘The Christmas Song’ I had to incorporate them into something Christmassy didn’t I?

So I decided to make chocolate and chestnut cupcakes to satisfy that chocolate craving but with the sweet, earthy nuttiness of the nut puree. It’s something that I had never tried before, but upon opening the can (which went out of date mid-2017 so I had to use them this year!) I was pleasantly surprised.

The recipe is for a thick, cakey chocolate batter, which I baked into wee foil cupcake tins from Yatta Box. They were a substantial firm bake, which I drizzled a simple icing onto and sprinkled some holly and berry sprinkles onto, to give that Christmas pudding look.
The flavor was mostly of chocolate as you’d expect but with a slight, pleasing earthiness going on.
These would be great served warm, with some fresh cream on the side. Give them a go…
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Chocolate and Chestnut Cupcakesby S Vettese December-12-2016Chocolate cupcakes with added chestnut pureeIngredients

• 30 grams plain flour
• 75 grams sweetened cocoa powder
• 170 grams granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• Pinch of salt
• 100 ml milk
• 2 medium eggs
• 1 can chestnut puree (250g)
• 85 ml vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 50 grams approx icing sugar

InstructionsPreheat the oven to 180C (160 fan) and set out 8 to 12 cupcake liners.In a bowl, sift the flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt. Set aside.In the bowl of a mixer, beat together the vegetable oil, granulated sugar, eggs and vanilla extract until smooth.Add the dry mix and milk in alternating amounts, finishing with the dry mix and beating after each addition.Lastly stir in the chestnut puree until the batter is smooth. Add more milk if the batter is too thick.Divide between the cupcake cases and bake in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean from the center.Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely.Make a simple icing from icing sugar and water, so it is a thick pourable consistency.Drizzle over each cupcake. Decorate whilst the icing is still wet, if doing so.Enjoy!DetailsPrep time: 20 mins Cook time: 25 mins Total time: 45 mins Yield: 8 large or 12 regular cupcakes

I'm entering these cupcakes into Love Cake hosted by Ness at Jibber Jabber UK - the theme is Winter Wonderland.