rose buttercream plant pot cupcakes.

With February as the month of luuurve, I thought I'd try my had at some Valentine's inspired recipes. I recently bought this rose shape nozzle which I just couldn't wait to try out. So simple to use with lots of different flower shaped nozzles too! I don't know about you, but I'd sooner have 12 flower pot cupcakes than a dozen roses? 

Shopping list.

(Make six large or twelve small cupcakes)

♥ 120g unsalted butter

♥ 120g caster sugar

♥ Two medium free range eggs 

♥ 100g self raising flower

♥ 20g cocoa powder 

For the buttercream topping and decoration

♥ 100g unsalted butter

♥ 200g icing sugar

♥ Marzipan or sugar pasta

♥ Food colour of your choice plus the rose shaped nozzle.

♥ Leaf shaped cutter

Preheat your oven to 190 degrees c.

Step one. To make the cupcakes, began by beating the butter and sugar together. Mix in the eggs and lastly the flour and coca powder.

Step two. Divide between your cupcake cases or plant pot moulds. Bake for 12-15 minutes (for larger sizes) until a skewer comes out clean when inserted into the centre of your cupcake. Allow to complete cool before decorating.

Step three. Whip together your icing and butter for the buttercream. I personally like to use my KitchenAid balloon whisk attachment on a high speed for this. I then flavoured my buttercream with a dash of espresso which went well with the chocolate sponge - totally up to you if you want to flavour it but you may need an extra 10g of icing sugar to compensate for the extra liquid.

Step four. Separate the buttercream and colour green and pink. Here I used spruce green and a drop of scarlet red which I find is more of a dark pink.

Step five. Use a star or grass nozzle to pipe out the green "grass" on to your cupcake. 

Step six. Add on your green marzipan leaves, which can be made ahead if need be.

Step seven. Lastly, pipe out your rose shapes using the nozzle. Ta da!

Have you ever tried any of the floral icing nozzles or plant pot cupcake cases? I'd love to see your recipes! Will you be baking your way to someone's heart this Valentine's Day?

I'm adding this recipe to the We Should Cocoa round up from Choclette at Tin & Thyme with the theme of butter!