taken from How to be a Domestic Goddess by Nigella Lawson

inspired by Sticky Pinny, Katie Cakes, and Confessions of a Cookbook Queen

200g plain flour
250g caster sugar
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1/4 tsp salt
l large egg
125ml buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla extract
125g unsalted butter
2 tablespoons cocoa
150ml Cherry Cola
1 tablespoon maraschino cherry syrup

Preheat the oven to 180C and line a muffin try with liners.

Sift the flour and mix with the salt and bicarb and set to one side.

Mix the egg with the buttermilk and cherry syrup in a jug and also set to one side.

In a heavy based saucepan, melt butter, cocoa and cherry cola gently on a low-medium heat.

Pour this mix into the dry ingredients, stir well and then add the liquid ingredients from the jug. Mix until well blended.

Be aware the mixture isn't very thick, but don't worry it will be okay!

Divide between the paper cases and bake for approx 18-20 mins, until the tops are springy to the touch and a skewer comes out clean. Leave to cool on a wire rack.

For the Frosting

225g icing sugar
30g butter
2 tbsp Cherry Cola

1 tbsp maraschino cherry syrup
1 tablespoon cocoa powder
½ tsp vanilla extract

Sieve the icing sugar and set aside. In a saucepan do as before and heat the butter, Cherry Cola, cherry syrup, and cocoa powder. Stir until butter is melted. I then transferred to a bigger mixing bowl and added vanilla. Beat while adding the icing sugar by the spoon full. It’s ready when it’s smooth, spreadable, but a little runny.

I made mine a little thicker as I didn’t do as Sticky Pinny or Katie Cakes did and make an additional cherry buttercream. I’m going to be honest I’m not a huge fan of lots of icing. I like it to compliment the cupcake not own it. So, I stuck with Nigella’s recipe. I just did cherry coke instead and I got the idea from the above blogs along with Confessions of a Cookbook Queen!