Ingredients:
Muffin:
- ¼ cup butter room temperature
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- ½ cup buttermilk *
- ¼ tsp red food colouring
- 1 cup self-rising flour
- 1½ tbsp cocoa powder
- 1¼ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp table salt
Decoration:
- red icing (e.g., vanilla icing with red food colouring)
- 3 large marshmallows cut into thirds for the tummy
- 10 mini marshmallows cut in two for the eyes
- chocolate frosting for eyebrows and pupils
- 20 red jellybeans as feathers
- 10 orange wedge candy cut into the shape of a beak
Method:
- Line the muffin tray with muffin papers. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Using a hand mixer, beat butter and sugar together for 5 minutes.
- Add egg. Mix briefly for 20 seconds.
- In a separate bowl, dilute the red food coloring gel into the buttermilk. Stir until fully combined.
- In another bowl, sieve and combine the dry ingredients together.
- Mix the dry ingredients into the butter mixture in three additions. Alternate with the wet ingredients in two additions. Mix only briefly.
- Scoop the batter into the muffin tray. Fill each hole about 2/3 full. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the cake center comes out clean.
*If you don’t have buttermilk combine ½ cup milk and ½ tbsp lemon juice or white vinegar and after stirring let them sit for 5-10 minutes before using.