These days I try to keep Easter's sweet indulges at a minimum but there's a few treats that should never be shelved - like an Easter egg hunt in the garden. Obviously this works best with small children, but the young at heart might also be interested. Don't hide them too well or you'll spend the following weeks discovering sad lost melted eggs.
Here's an easy recipe for Lindt Easter Carrot Cupcakes by the wonderful Thomas Schnetzler, Lindt's Maitre Chocaltier. I love that it's a carrot cake choc combo and it would be perfect to go with my Sunday morning cappucino.
Easter Carrot Cupcakes
Makes 12 Cupcakes. Preparation time: 15 minutes plus 25 minutes baking time.
Difficulty: Easy
Cake
350 g Self-raising flour
1 ½ tsp Baking powder
Pinch Sea salt
½ tsp Ground cinnamon
170 g Butter, melted and cooled
200 g Dark brown sugar
1 Egg, large
100 g Natural yoghurt
350 g Carrots - approx 3 medium-sized ones, finely grated and steamed in the microwave for 2 minutes
250 g Lindt Excellence Extra Creamy chocolate, chopped coarsely (vary quantity according to taste)
20 ml Brandy (optional)
12 cupcake liners
Icing
250 g Cream cheese
½ Lemon - juice only
6 or 7 Lindor balls white, melted
Decoration
60 g Desiccated coconut shreds, toasted
12 Lindt 10g Gold Bunny or your favourite Easter Lindt chocolates
Method
Preheat the oven to 185°C. Line cupcake or muffin tray with liners.
In a large bowl combine self-raising flour, baking powder, salt and ground cinnamon. Set aside.
In a separate bowl combine the melted butter, brown sugar, egg and yoghurt. Mix in the grated carrot.
Gradually add the dry ingredients and mix until combined. Lastly mix in the chocolate chunks.
Divide mixture into a cupcake/muffin tray and bake for approximately 25 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. Allow to cool fully.
For the icing, soften the cream cheese in the electric mixer with a paddle attachment. Add lemon juice and mix until light and fluffy. Mix in the chocolate and whip further until light.
To assemble, top the cooled cupcakes with a generous amount of icing and coat with toasted coconut, creating the look of a little nest. Decorate with the Lindt Gold Bunny or your favourite Easter treats.