Michelle Darmody: How to make my easy double chocolate and raspberry buns

Chocolate and raspberries or chocolate and cherries make a great combination

Double chocolate and raspberry buns.

A tasty bun is such a handy thing. A batch, just out of the oven, is welcome at almost any party or gathering, whether for adults or children. Buns come in many shapes and forms and go under different guises: muffins, cupcakes, queen cakes, and fairy cakes. The ones here follow traditional lines.

Chocolate and raspberries are always a good combination, and the rich and tasty chocolate buns are very decadent. If you prefer cherries, they make a good substitution for the raspberries.

The second recipe is for olive oil buns. Olive oil may seem like an unusual flavour for a bun, but it is quite subtle and, in fact, these also work well with a handful of dark chocolate chips thrown into the batter.

One of the most useful aspects of any of these recipes is that they freeze very well, and do not need a huge amount of time to defrost. I would leave the icing stage until after they have defrosted.

Double chocolate and raspberry buns

recipe by:Michelle Darmody

Chocolate and raspberries are always a good combination.

Servings

12

Preparation Time

 10 mins

Cooking Time

 20 mins

Total Time

 30 mins

Course

 Baking

Cuisine

 Irish

Ingredients

• 25g cocoa powder, sieved

• 250g self-raising flour

• 2 tsp baking powder, sieved

• 25g muscovado sugar

• 100g golden caster sugar

• 2 eggs, lightly beaten

• 170mls milk

• 100mls rapeseed oil

• 100g raspberries

• 100g of chocolate chips

Method

1. Preheat your oven to 170°C and pop bun cases into a 12-hole tin.

2. Mix the dry ingredients together then make a well in the centre and add in the eggs, milk and oil. Combine until smooth.

3. Stir in the raspberries and chocolate chips.

4. Scoop the mixture between your bun cases and bake for about 20 minutes until the buns are baked through. Once cool enough to handle place on a wire rack to cool completely.

Olive oil buns

recipe by:Michelle Darmody

Olive oil may seem like an unusual flavour for a bun, but it is subtle and these also work well with a handful of dark chocolate chips.

Servings

12

Preparation Time

 20 mins

Cooking Time

 20 mins

Total Time

 40 mins

Course

 Baking

Ingredients

• 1 egg

• 125mls milk

• 60 mls olive oil — as strongly flavoured as you wish

• the zest of 2 lemons

• 115g golden caster sugar

• 200g plain flour, sieved

• 2 tsp baking powder, sieved

• For the icing:

• 100g icing sugar, sieved

• 20mls light olive oil

• 40g soft butter

Method

1. Preheat your oven to 170°C and pop bun cases into a 12-hole tin.

2. Beat your egg until it is foamy and doubled in volume. Gently whisk in the milk, olive oil, zest and sugar until smooth.

3. Add in your flour and baking powder until well combined and the batter is smooth.

4. Scoop the mixture between your bun cases and bake for about 20 minutes until the top is golden and the buns are baked through. Once cool enough to handle, place on a wire rack to cool completely.

5. To make the icing: whisk the ingredients together until doubled in volume. Pipe or palette the icing onto the buns.