These tasty Old-Fashioned Chocolate Buns or Cupcakes are so easy to prepare and the recipe is straight from the British World War 2 Kitchen Front! As these cakes are a wartime 1940s recipe they are egg-free and as we are a plant-based family we also made these cakes as dairy-free - but you can use your usual milk.These cute wee buns are perfect for parties, picnics, lunchboxes, and afternoon tea. For an Easter treat top with a chocolate mini egg or your favourite Easter candy or sweetie.
Next, add the softened room temperature margarine.
75 grams margarine, at room temperature
Pour the hot water into a small bowl and mix the bicarbonate of soda through the water. It may froth up but this is fine.
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda, 225 millilitres hot water
Stir through the vanilla and golden syrup.
2 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 tablespoon golden syrup
Pour the hot water mixture into the dry ingredients and margarine.
Stir everything well to combine. The margarine will continue to melt due to the hot water.
Divide the chocolate mixture out between the 12 cupcake cases.
Bake on the middle shelf for 13-20 minutes. Our cakes were ready after 15 minutes baked in an electric oven [180C].A fan oven may take a few minutes quicker to bake.
Buns are ready when risen, firm, and a skewer popped in comes out clean.
Leave in the baking tray for 5 minutes before removing to cool completely on a cooling rack.
Decorate:
Once cool add a dollop of chocolate spread to the top of each cake and then pop a little sweet or candy on to the middle of each cake.
chocolate spread, chocolate mini eggs
Notes
Nutritional information is for guidance only and is not a strict calculation as ingredients vary.
Store the chocolate buns within a cake tin or food container for up to 4-5 days. Wrapping in a layer of kitchen foil can help preserve the freshness.
Or freeze for up to 2-3 months.
As we are a plant-based family we used dairy-free margarine for the buns, and vegan chocolate mini eggs and dairy-free chocolate spread for the decoration however you can use your preferred ingredients.