Each Wednesday morning, as most people will know by now, at a neighbour’s house we get together to have a brief morning tea.

I always take something along and this was last week’s offering – quickly invented and prepared in no time at all. (these were very well received by the way, gone in a trice.)

Here is the recipe:

Chocolate Strawberries and Cream Cupcakes

For the cupcakes

1 egg

¾ cup sugar

¾ cup milk

1 cup self raising flour

½ cup cocoa

½ teaspoon baking powder

80 ml oil (such as sunflower or light olive oil or similar)

For the topping

2 tablespoons strawberry jam

250 ml cream

1 teaspoon sugar or icing sugar

Few drops vanilla essence or extract

1 punnet strawberries, roughly chopped

Method

Line 10 cup cake tins with muffin papers.  Preheat oven to 160 degrees C (fan forced).

Whisk the egg and sugar together until well combined, then all at once whisk in the remaining ingredients until a smooth batter is formed.

Spoon evenly into the muffin papers – they should be about two thirds full.  If too much mixture for ten than just make another one.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until a metal skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.

Remove to a wire rack to cool, then peel off the muffin papers.

Cut a slice from the top of each.  Spread with a little strawberry jam, a swirl of cream and chopped strawberries.