Candy Bar Cupcakes

Preheat oven to 350ºF (180ºC) and line a 12-hole cupcake tray with liners.

Place butter and sugar into a large bowl, or the bowl of your stand mixer and beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Add oil, eggs and vanilla and mix until well incorporated, scraping sides down as necessary. The mixture may look a little odd at this stage, but don’t worry, it will come together.

Sift cocoa powder into a small bow, then add flour, baking powder, and salt if using unsalted butter. Stir until well combined. Add flour mix to egg and sugar mixture and begin to mix on low speed. Once it begins to come together, slowly start pouring in milk. Once all the milk is added, continue mixing on low-medium speed until smooth and everything is well combined, 20–30 seconds.

Divide mixture between the 12 cupcake cases, about ¾ full. I used a 2-tablespoon ice cream scoop to ensure every cupcake was filled the same.

Take pieces of Twix and Bounty and press one piece into the centre of each cupcake. Press until they’re level with the mixture; you don’t want the mixture to cover the candy.

Place in the oven for 18–23 minutes, until risen and an inserted skewer comes out clean. It’s best to put the skewer in next to the candy, then push diagonally into the centre to ensure you are actually checking the cake.

Transfer to a wire rack to cool almost immediately (I find if you leave cupcakes in the tray, the liners pull away). Once completely cool, make the frosting.

For the frosting:
Place dark and milk chocolate into a heat proof bowl and microwave in 20-second increments, stirring in between, until chocolate is melted and smooth. Cool for 5–7 minutes.

Place butter and powdered sugar into a large bowl, or the bowl of your stand mixer, and beat on a medium speed until light and fluffy. Add vanilla extract and salt, and mix until well combined. Once chocolate has cooled slightly, add to butter-sugar mixture and beat on medium-high speed until thick and fluffy, 45–60 seconds. Frosting will be thick and creamy and shouldn’t fall off of a spoon easily.

Half-fill a piping bag attached with an open star nozzle and pipe a swirl onto each cupcake. Sprinkle each cupcake with 3-4 pieces of chopped up Twix and Bounty. Finish with some sprinkles, if desired.

Cupcakes will keep in an airtight container, at room temperature for 3 days, or in the fridge for 5 days. Remove from the fridge 30 minutes before serving.

Note: It’s important that the chocolate has cooled slightly, otherwise it will make the butter even softer and the frosting will be very runny and may not come together properly.