Our little Emma turns three on Sunday. I can’t believe how quickly the time is flying by!

Emma had a few requests for celebrating her birthday: a Tinkerbell party, sausage rolls to eat and ladybug cupcakes. A few times this past year, I made some cupcakes for her, including this incredible set of Chocolate Cherry Cupcakes from Nigella. Not only does this recipe taste delicious, it’s a no-mixer required and almost a 1 bowl recipe (aside from beating the eggs separately). You will not regret making these — just ask Emma, who after eating a mini one last night as my taste tester, insisted that she could have just another one and that would be a perfect dinner.

Chocolate Cherry Cupcakes
inspired by: Nigella Lawson’s Chocolate Cherry Cupcakes
(Makes 12 regular or 24 mini muffins)

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
• 100g dark chocolate, broken into 1/2 inch pieces
• 1 250-300ml jar of cherry jam
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla sugar
• pinch of salt
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 teaspoon baking powder

Preheat the oven to 350F. Line muffin tin with cupcake liners.

Put butter and chocolate into a microwaveable dish and microwave uncovered on half power for 1 minute. Stir and continue to microwave on 30 sec intervals until melted and smooth. Let it cool for a few minutes and then add the jam, sugars, salt and eggs. Combine well.  Sprinkle the baking powder and flour evenly overtop of the chocolate mixture and stir until there are no longer bits of flour visible.

Spoon evenly into lined muffin tins and bake in a preheated 350F oven for 25-30 min until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean.

(For Emma’s birthday, I iced the cupcakes into ladybugs. I don’t normally top these with more than a dollop of melted cherry jam or a sprinkle of icing sugar. They’re so rich, I find they don’t need anything else!)