Carrot Patch Cupcakes

Preheat oven to 170°C (fan-forced). Fill 12 small terracotta craft pots with cupcake cases or line a 12 hole cupcake tin with cases and set it aside.

Combine sour cream, water and vanilla extract in a jug and mix well. Combine flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl and set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, or using a hand mixer, cream butter and sugar for 5 mins until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, mixing to incorporate.

Add half of flour mixture to butter mixture, mix well then add half of sour cream mixture, mixing in between. Repeat with remaining mixture and mix until well combined. Add 1/4 cup of batter to each case, then bake for 20-25 minutes or until cupcake bounces back when the top is pressed lightly. Remove from oven and set aside to cool completely.

Knead the white icing to soften. Once softened, add a few drops of red food colour and a few drops of yellow and knead the colour in until the icing is orange. Divide the fondant into 12, then shape each into a carrot shape and using the back of a paring knife make little marks in the carrot. Take a tooth pick and make a little hole in the top of each for the mint leaves and set aside to set.

Separate 150g of the choc icing and knead to soften wearing food safe gloves. Flour your bench top with icing sugar or corn flour and roll out the choc icing on a bench top, lifting and turning after each roll so that the icing doesn’t stick (use more icing sugar or cornflour when required).

Take the remaining 50g choc fondant and using a box grater, grate the fondant all over the top of the rolled fondant (by doing this we create a rough texture to resemble soil on the cupcakes). Using your hands gently press the grated texture into the fondant to adhere.

Using an 8-10cm round cookie cutter cut 12 circles for the tops of your cupcakes. Brush the cupcake tops with a little water then place the fondant circles on top of your completely cooled cupcakes.

Cut a hole in the top of each fondant covered cupcake and add a carrot point down into each cupcake. When ready to serve, place a small spring of mint into the top of each carrot and serve.