Spoil your loved one this Valentine’s Day with these sweet, romantic treats!

Ingredients:
150g plain flour
1 tbsp cocoa powder
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
50g butter
150g caster sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla paste
100ml buttermilk
50ml vegetable oil
1 tsp white wine vinegar
15g tube of extra strong red food colouring

For the icing:
100g full fat cream cheese
100g butter
220g icing sugar

Method:
1. Put 12 cupcake cases into a cupcake tin. Heat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan/gas mark 4).

2. Sieve the flour, cocoa powder, bicarbonate of soda and a pinch of salt into a bowl and mix together.

3. Beat together the softened butter and sugar with an electric whisk until light and fluffy.

4. Add the beaten egg, vanilla paste, buttermilk, oil and vinegar until all combined.

5. Gradually whisk the wet mixture into the dry ingred-ients, then add all of the tube of red food colouring and mix well.

6. Divide the mixture between the cupcake cases then bake for 15 minutes. Leave to cool on a rack.

7. To make the icing, beat together the butter and icing sugar until pale and fluffy, then beat in the cream cheese until nice and soft.

8. Using a piping bag with a star nozzle, fill the bag with the icing then pipe a swirl onto the cooled cakes.

9. Decorate as you wish for your valentine, using treats such as chocolate hearts, freeze dried strawberry or raspberry pieces, or even strawberries dipped in chocolate!