Cupcakes

• Pre-heat oven to 160C (320F). Line cupcake tin with paper cupcake cases.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the dry ingredients. Turn mixer on low and allow it to mix for a couple minutes. Add the softened butter and let it mix until it resembles a fine sand like texture.
• Next combine all milk, eggs, yogurt, oil and vanilla extract in a large jug and whisk well.
• Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients in a slow and steady stream until no dry ingredients are visible. Scrape down the bowl and mix for another 20 seconds.
• Separate the batter into three bowls (you may use a pair of kitchen scales to do this or use an ice cream scoop to transfer the batter evenly.) Add cocoa powder into one bowl and gently fold in until it’s mixed evenly
• Add strawberry essence and pink food dye into the other bowl and fold in gently until it’s mixed evenly.
• Use a small ice cream (equivalent to 1 ½ tbsp per scoop) to add each flavor of batter into each cupcake liner. Give the cupcake tin a gently tap on your bench to get rid of any large air pockets. This helps avoid the cupcakes rising in funny shapes and directions. Bake for 20-25 min or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Allow them to cool completely on a cooling rack before frosting.
• While your cupcakes are baking and cooling you can colour and flavour your frosting in the same way as your batter and transfer to three separate piping bags or zip lock sandwich bags fitted with a star nozzle.
• To finish off the cupcakes simply start off by piping the chocolate frosting on first, then the strawberry followed by a little swirl of vanilla on top. Sprinkle with chocolate sprinkles, pop a little candy ball on top and a wedge of vanilla wafer on the side.