White Chocolate Butterfly Cakes Recipes

Makes 12

Preparation time: 20 minutes (+ cooling time) Baking time: 25-30 minutes

Melted butter, to grease (optional)

200g (7oz) good-quality white chocolate, chopped

150g (5½oz) unsalted butter, cubed

185ml (6fl oz/¾ cup) water

220g (7¾oz/1 cup) caster (superfine) sugar

2 eggs, at room temperature, lightly whisked

1½ tsp natural vanilla extract or essence

225g (8oz/1½ cups) plain (all-purpose) flour

50g (1¾oz/½ cup) almond meal

1½ tsp baking powder

125ml (4fl oz/½ cup) thick (double) cream

165g (5¾oz/½ cup) raspberry or blackberry jam

Icing (confectioners’) sugar, to dust

1. Heat the oven to 180°C/350°F or 160°C/315°F Fan. Grease a 12-hole 80ml (2½fl oz/ 1/3 cup) capacity muffin tray with melted butter or line with paper cases. 2. Put the chocolate, butter and water in a medium saucepan and stir over medium heat until the chocolate and butter have melted and the mixture is smooth. Remove from the heat and set aside until cooled at room temperature.

3. Add the sugar, eggs and vanilla to the chocolate mixture and use a balloon whisk to stir until well combined

4. In a medium bowl, use a clean whisk or fork to whisk together the flour, almond meal and baking powder, combining the ingredients evenly and breaking up any lumps of almond meal. Add to the chocolate mixture and stir with the whisk until just combined.

5. Divide the mixture evenly among the muffin holes and lightly tap the tin on the bench top to remove any large air bubbles. Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean. Leave the cakes to stand in the tin for 5 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

6. When cool, cut a shallow cone-shaped piece out of the top of the cake, leaving about 1cm (½in) border. Cut the piece of a cake in half. Spoon a little cream and then some jam into the hole to fill. Arrange the two pieces of cake in the jam to form wings. Repeat with the remaining cakes, cream and jam. Dust with icing sugar to serve.

Baker’s tips

• The unfilled cakes will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. Alternatively, they will freeze well sealed in a freezer bag or airtight container for up to 1 month. Thaw at room temperature. • These cakes are best eaten the day they are filled.