Akta-Vite Koala Cupcakes

These fluffy chocolate cupcakes are great fun to make. While you're enjoying your tasty treats you'll also be able to enjoy a feel-good moment, knowing Akta-Vite donates five cents from every specially marked can to the Australian Koala Foundation.

Preparation time

15 minutes

Cooking time

40 (15 minutes cooking, 15 minutes cooling, 10 minutes decorating)

Serves

12

Cupcakes

125g butter

200g Akta-Vite

1 tsp vanilla

2 eggs

100g self raising flour

1 tsp baking powder

4 tbsp milk (or buttermilk)

Icing to decorate

30g Akta-Vite dissolved in 1 tbsp boiling water

100g butter, softened

1 tsp vanilla

250g icing sugar

1/2 cup of dessicated coconut

24 small round chocolates (for eyes)

12 marshmallows, cut in half (for ears)

12 black jelly beans (for noses) 

*We've gone with chocolate-coloured icing, but if you'd rather a more accurate looking koala cupcake, substitute a few drops of black food colouring for Akta-Vite in the icing.  

Method

• Preheat oven to 200 degrees celcius. Line 12 cup muffin tray with cupcake papers.
• Stir or whisk together the flour and baking powder and set aside.
• Cream butter, vanilla and Akta-Vite with an electric hand mixer or stand mixer until most of the Akta-Vite has dissolved and the mix is paler in colour (approx. 2-3 minutes).
• Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
• Using a large metal spoon, fold a quarter of the flour in followed by a tablespoon of the milk (or buttermilk). Repeat with remaining flour and milk. Spoon into cupcake papers to about 1/2 to 2/3 full.
• Bake for 15 minutes. Allow to cool before icing and decorating.
• To make the icing, using a food processor, hand mixer or stand mixer, cream together all of the ingredients until they are light and fluffy. Add a little milk if too dry or extra icing sugar if too runny. Ice each cupcake with approximately one tablespoon of the icing mix.
• To decorate, place to marshmallow halves at the top for ears, a black jelly bean for the nose, and two small round chocolates for eyes. Sprinkle with coconut and gently shake to remove excess.
• Store in an airtight container.