Love baking shows? Learn which show is my favorite and grab my tasty chocolate cupcake recipe.
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The Great British Baking Show (known as The Great British Bake Off on the BBC) is one of my all-time favorite shows. The show features English bakers competing in a series of baking challenges to be named the best baker.
I love the show for six reasons:
- The innovative baking. Oh, the baking! The recipes attempted are as amazing as they are unusual.
- From Scandinavian deserts to European yeast cakes the challenges never fail to teach me something new about the art of baking.
- The hilarious hosts. Mel Giedroyc and Sue Perkins are British writers and comedians.
- The duo has worked together for more than 20 years and are professionally known as “Mel and Sue.” They have the best baking quips and puns while being sweet and supportive to the contestants.
- The accomplished judges. Each episode is judged by Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood.
- Mary is a famous British television host and is widely considered the top female baker in the UK. She was educated at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris and has published more than 70 cookbooks including Mary Berry’s Baking Bible.
- Paul is a master bread baker and is known as one of the UK’s leading artisan bakers. His best-selling book 100 Great Breads has been translated into seven languages.
- The interesting contestants. Contestants range from your average British grandmother to house building contractors.
- Each contestant is interesting to watch and bring a unique approach to baking.
- The fun and supportive atmosphere. Reality shows tend to be harsh and jarring.
- The Great British Baking Show is full of kind supportive cast mates who seem to genuinely care about one another.
- The judges are opinionated but not belittling. There are no Simon Cowell’s here!
- The gorgeous décor. The show is filmed in a huge white tent that is full of colorful baking stations.
- I want whoever designed the set to redo my kitchen, seriously.
The Great British Baking Show on Netflix
Want to watch The Great British Baking Show in the US? You can now stream season one on Netflix! Go Netflix, go!
Chocolate Fairy Cupcakes
My sister sent me Mary Berry’s Ultimate Cake Book for my birthday this spring. I love paging through the recipes and trying new baked good. My favorite to date… chocolate fairy cakes. In the U.S. we call them cupcakes or mini-cupcakes, but the name fairy cakes is too adorable!
My easy chocolate cupcake recipe uses all-purpose flour and dark cocoa powder which results in a brownie flavored cupcake. Top them with my favorite cocoa buttercream icing and a simple fresh-cherry decoration… they are Bake Off perfection.
PrintMary Berry’s Fairy Cakes: Chocolate Cupcake Recipe
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 minutes
- Total Time: 18 minutes
- Yield: 24 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: English
Description
The Great British Baking Show (Great British Bake Off) is a favorite baking show. Learn how to make Mary Berry’s Fairy cakes with this easy Chocolate Cupcake Recipe. Make this scratch recipe with no artificial ingredients in less time than a cake mix.
Ingredients
Cupcake Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened (4 oz)
- 1/2 cup sugar (4 oz)
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour (4 oz)
- 2 large eggs
- 3 Tbsp dark cocoa powder (1 oz)
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
Cocoa Buttercream Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened (4 oz)
- 1 1/2 cup powdered sugar (6 oz)
- 3–4 Tbsp dark cocoa powder (1 oz)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 Tbsp milk
Instructions
Cupcake Directions
-
Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Cream together eggs, sugar, and butter.
- Add flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt. Beat until well combined, about 3 minutes.
- Line mini cupcake pan with 24 paper liners. Fill each liner halfway with batter.
- Bake 8-10 minutes until tops are slightly cracked and spring back to touch.
- Cool completely before icing.
Cocoa Buttercream Directions
- Beat butter until creamy.
- Add powdered sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla, and milk. Mix on low until well combined. About 3 minutes.
- Spoon into icing bag and frost cupcakes.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 mini cupcake with icing
- Calories: 138
- Sugar: 11.6
- Sodium: 47.2
- Fat: 8.3
- Carbohydrates: 15.7
- Protein: 1.3
- Cholesterol: 35.9
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Edna
Great for parties! Thanks.
Julia
Great recipe. How would you adjust recipe to make regular size cupcakes? Thank you
Bren
Julia, I’m sorry to say that I have never made them full sized. Let me know if you try!
stephanie
Chocolate and cherries together are the perfect combination. 🙂
Bren
I agree!
Clarissa
These look SO good! And I’m totally adopting the phrase “fairy cakes” from now on — that’s way cuter than mini-cupcakes!
-Clarissa @ theviewfromhere.is