Mothers Day : Making Chocolate Cup Cakes with the Kids.

When I was asked about a memorable dish, that reminded me of my childhood, the one that popped into my mind was chocolate cake. It reminds me of family celebrations, and treats on a Sunday tea time. It was everyone’s favourite, but especially my younger brothers. My mum was the an expert at whipping one up. I loved it when we were short of one of the ingredients, and she would send us off to the corner shop to get it, along with 10p, firmly placed in our hand to spend on the pick and mix. Which back then meant you had lots of sweets for your money.

So I went to my Mum and asked her for her infamous chocolate cake recipe, we were going to slightly change it up though and make it into cupcakes, as these are our favourites. It is a seriously moist cake, and best eaten on the same day*.

NB : * I say that as it never lasted any longer than that with us any way.

It’s an really easy recipe, and chocolate cake or cupcakes is an excellent one to cook with children I think. When we made it with our mum, she used her big Kenwood mixer. I’ve tried to find some photographs of it, and us baking, but I don’t think I have any, which is a shame. I have a Kitchen Aid, the same colour actually as her mixer back then, in silver and white. I just hope it serves me as well!

Now its all about delegation when I cook with my girls, so everyone has their jobs and areas of expertise.

Everyone wants the job of licking the bowl out though!

This photograph is actually Miss A just about to take some of the mixture out, as she thought they were a little too full. See I told you every one is an experts when it comes to baking in our house!

The only job I really have, is to pop them in the oven and to tidy up the carnage at the end.

We used a chocolate frosting, which Nia and I piped, together with some sugar decorations, and because we were feeling celebratory, in honour of Mothers day we added candles. We each then made a wish when we blew them out.