Cherry ripe cupcakes

When I was teaching in Japan, whenever I went back home to Sydney, I'd ask my Australian colleagues what I could bring back for them. Forget Vegemite and Tim Tams, the most requests were for Cherry Ripes.

I bought these cupcake liners from an ebay seller and it only seemed fitting to make cherry ripe cupcakes (quite frankly it would seem strange making a non cherry themed cupcake in them!). I adapted these from the Womens Weekly Cupcakes book recipe called Coconut Cherry Hearts. I prefer the name Cherry Ripe Cupcakes as you'll know exactly how these will taste just from hearing the name-like a Cherry Ripe!

Cherry Ripe cupcakes

Choc cherry cake

• 125 g butter softened

• 1/2 teaspoon coconut essence

• 2/3 cup (150g) caster sugar

• 2 eggs

• 1/2 cup (80ml) milk

• 1/2 cup (40g) dessicated coconut

• 1/3 cup (70g) red glace cherries

• 50g dark eating chocolate chopped coarsely

• 1 cup (150 g) self raising flour

• 2 tablespoons cocoa powder

• 1/4 cup (35g) plain flour

Milk Chocolate ganache

(this amount of ganache only iced 4 cupcakes for me...heavy handed on the icing, moi?)

• 1/4 cup (60ml) cream

• 100g milk eating chocolate coarsely chopped

Step 1 - preheat oven to moderate 180c/160c fan forced. Line muffin tins.

Step 2 - beat butter , essence, sugar and eggs in a small bowl with electric mixer until combined

Step 3 - stir in milk, coconut, cherries and chocolate then sifted flours and cocoa. Divide mixture among cases, smooth surface

Step 4 - Bake large cakes about 35 minutes, small cakes about 25 minutes. Turn onto wire rack to cool

For ganache, bring cream to a boil in a small saucepan, pour over chocolate in bowl stir until smooth. Cover bowl and stand at room temperature until ganache is spreadable.