Heartbreak white chocolate cupcakes

Of all the Valentine's cupcakes in all the towns in all the world, she had to choose this one...

Well, hello! It’s Valentine’s Day again. Not to be a cynic, but is there any valid reason for such a day, apart from providing something to write about or cook heart-themed cupcakes for? Truth be told, there’s something about the rose-strewn bouquets and big, fluffy, white teddy bears that makes me feel a bit erky perky...

I understand, though, that it’s the florists’ busiest and most profitable day, so let’s not begrudge them their livelihood. Personally, I’d be very embarrassed to have a large arrangement (with helium-filled foil balloons, God forbid) delivered to me. So to all of my many, many secret admirers, please take note!

If you must celebrate this soppy day, however, how about going straight to the heart via the stomach, with these amazing white chocolate cupcakes. They are the moistest, delicious-est, smoothest cupcakes ever. And if you want to tell that particular someone how you feel about them, a broken chocolate heart sends just the right message, n’est pas?

White chocolate cupcakes
makes 12

Ingredients
100g (3 ½ oz) butter, softened
¾ cup caster (superfine) sugar
2 eggs
1 1/3 cups plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
½ cup milk
100g (3 ½ oz) white chocolate, melted

White chocolate ganache:
125g (4 oz) white chocolate, chopped
¼ cup pouring cream
35g (1 ¼ oz) butter

Chocolate hearts:
100g dark chocolate

Method
1. Preheat oven to 160C/320F. Line a 12 x ½ cup muffin tray with 12 paper liners.
2. Beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
3. Sift the flour and baking powder over the butter and sugar mixture and beat until well combined.
4. Add the milk and melted white chocolate and mix well.
5. Spoon the mixture into the prepared paper liners and bake in the oven for 20 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the cakes comes out clean. Remove cakes from oven and cool completely on a wire rack.
6. For the ganache: Place the white chocolate, cream and butter in a microwave-safe dish. Microwave on medium-low setting in 30-second bursts, stirring after each burst, until the chocolate is melted. Stir mixture until smooth. Spread ganache on the cooled cupcakes.
7. For the chocolate hearts: Place the dark chocolate in a microwave-safe dish. Microwave on medium-low setting in 30-second bursts, stirring after each burst, until the chocolate is melted. Stir mixture until smooth. Spread the melted chocolate onto a parchment-lined baking tray, about 2mm (1/8”) thick. Place in refrigerator to set, about 10 minutes. Use a heart-shaped cutter to cut shapes from the chocolate, then place on the cupcakes.

cupcake recipe adapted from donna hay 'simple essentials: chocolate'

Ingredients, including white chocolate, sugar, eggs and butter.

The cupcake batter is spooned into a muffin tray and baked.

Make some chocolate hearts by spreading melted chocolate onto baking paper and cutting out heart shapes.

These cupcakes will heal that broken heart, stat!

Look at the inside: moist, smooth and gorgeous.