I made thesechocolate chip cupcakesfor Mother’s Day using gluten-free flour and dairy-free sunflower spread so that both my mum and I could enjoy them. I used good quality chocolate too, which is dairy-free. You can make these cupcakes using normal wheat flour, butter and milk chocolate chips, if you like! I baked the cupcakes in rose-shaped silicon moulds, but you can use heart shaped muffin cases or just a normal muffin tin, lined with pretty paper cases.

You’ll need:

• 100g unsalted butter or dairy free spread
• 200g self-raising  flour (can be gluten-free)
• 100g unrefined sugar
• ½ cup dark chocolate chips (minimum 70%)
• 2 large eggs
• ½ cup milk (I used almond but other dairy-free like coconut, soya or oaty milk are good too)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Icing sugar, to dust

To make the cupcakes:

1. Preheat oven to 180°C and line a muffin tin with paper cases or put some silicon muffin cases on a baking tray.
2. Put the butter/margarine and sugar in a mixing bowl and, using an electric whisk, beat until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, and gently combine. Add the add the vanilla essence and milk. Combine.
3. Sift the flour into the mixture then slowly mix it with a spatula. Once combined, gently fold in the chocolate chips.
4.  Spoon the mixture into the cases until they are  ¾ full.  Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes until golden.
5. Check regularly with a toothpick or skewer (push it in the middle of a cupcake and it comes out with batter on it, the cupcake is still uncooked).
6. When are ready ask and adult to transfer them  to a wire rack to cool.
7. When completely cool, decorate them to your liking. I’ve just dusted them with icing sugar.

Tips

• If you can’t get dairy-free chocolate chips, just buy a bar of good quality chocolate and bash it with a rolling pin into small pieces.
• Drizzle the cupcakes with some chocolate spread for a more intense flavor!