Dextrose cupcakes with chocolate glaze

Dextrose is considered by some to be the 'good' part of sugar, the glucose. These chocolate cupcakes use powdered dextrose and are great to bring into school for kids' birthdays.

Ingredients

For the cakes

• 60g/2¼oz butter, softened
• 80g/3oz dextrose
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• 1 large free-range egg
• 130g/4½oz self-raising flour
• pinch salt
• 125ml/4fl oz milk

For the chocolate glaze

• 2 tbsp cocoa powder
• 160g/5½oz dextrose

Preparation method

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4. Place 10 fairy cake paper cases into the holes of a muffin tray.
2. Using an electric whisk, beat the butter and dextrose to a pale cream in a mixing bowl. Stir together with a wooden spoon in between whisking to bring the mixture together smoothly.
3. Add the vanilla extract and the egg, and beat well.
4. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour and salt.
5. Fold the flour and milk alternately into the butter and dextrose mixture – you want the batter to be as soft as possible, so be gentle.
   
   
   Watch technique0:35 mins
6. Spoon the mixture into the prepared paper cases.
7. Bake for about 15–20 minutes, or until firm to the touch and just turning golden-brown. Set aside to cool for 10 minutes, then remove from the tin and cool on a wire rack.
8. For the chocolate glaze, boil the kettle and pour the water into a medium saucepan. Place a heatproof bowl set on top of the saucepan of boiling water not allowing the water to touch the bowl.
9. Place the cocoa powder and three tablespoons of water into a small saucepan over a moderate heat and stir until it becomes a thick paste.
10. Take the pan off the heat and stir in some of the dextrose. Transfer the mixture to the prepared heatproof bowl. Return to the heat if the mixture begins to set, but be careful not to boil it.
11. As the dextrose melts and combines with the cocoa mixture, add more dextrose, a little at a time, until all the dextrose is used.
12. Once all the dextrose is blended, take the saucepan off the heat, where the mixture will thicken and set.
13. Once the chocolate glaze has cooled a little, you can spread it on the cakes. You can thicken it up by adding more dextrose. If it thickens too much, just put it back over the saucepan of hot water and warm it to melt the dextrose again. It dries to a hard, sweet and chocolatey finish that is especially good for cupcakes.

Categories: Cake Recipes