Choc Cupcakes with Peppermint Buttercream Icing

• 250ml milk
• 220g CSR Caster Sugar
• 200g milk chocolate
• 150g unsalted butter 
• 225g White Wings Plain Flour
• 75g Dutch-processed cocoa
• 1¼ tsp bicarb soda
• 165ml buttermilk
• 2 eggs, whisked 
• Mini candy canes & white chocolate to decorate

Peppermint Buttercream:

• 375g softened unsalted butter 
• 540g CSR Pure Icing Sugar
• 80ml buttermilk 
• 2 tsp vanilla bean paste
• 1 tsp peppermint essence
• Red food colouring
• 300ml tall, round jars and ribbon

1. Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced). Line a 12-hole muffin pan.
2. Melt milk, sugar, chocolate and butter in a saucepan, stir for 5 mins over low heat. Transfer to a large bowl, set aside for 10 mins to cool.
3. Sift in flour, cocoa, bicarb and whisk until smooth. Add buttermilk and eggs to batter; gently whisk to combine.
4. Spoon batter into muffin pan and bake for 20 mins or until a skewer inserted into centre comes out clean. 
5. Peppermint buttercream: beat butter and icing sugar in an electric mixer for 5-7 mins until fluffy. Add buttermilk, vanilla and peppermint essence, beat until smooth. Divide two-thirds into a bowl and rest into another bowl. Tint smaller bowl with red food colouring. Spoon plain buttercream into a large piping bag fitted with a 2cm star nozzle. Spoon a small mount of red buttercream on top. Repeat layering until piping bag is full.
6. Cut cooled cupcakes in half, equally. Place one cupcake half topside down into each jar. Pipe a 1.5cm layer of buttercream over the cupcake. Repeat layering finishing with buttercream. Decorate with mini candy canes, crushed candy canes and white chocolate curls.