This decadent cupcake wreath will be the centrepiece of your Christmas afternoon tea or dessert table. You could take this concept and arrange any finger food as a wreath – mini pavlovas, slices, mini frittatas, bruschetta – so beautifully festive, and so easy to serve!

Makes: 18 cupcakes

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

• 150g dark chocolate melts (or dark chocolate, chopped)
• 4 eggs
• 120g caster sugar
• 250g almond meal
• 1 teaspoon bicarb soda
• 100ml warm water

To decorate

• 300ml cream, whipped
• Fresh or frozen berries, herbs, edible flowers

Method

1. Preheat oven to 170°C. Grease cupcake tins
   
   
2. Melt chocolate in the microwave in 30 second bursts, stirring in between until melted. Set aside.
   
   
3. Whisk eggs on high for 30 seconds with an electric beater. Add sugar in two lots and beat for 5 minutes until the mixture is pale and creamy.
   
   
4. Gently combine egg mixture, almond meal, bicarb soda and melted chocolate. Add 100ml warm water and fold through.
   
   
5. Divide evenly among cupcake holes, filling each to 2/3 capacity.
   
   
6. Bake for 15 minutes until spongey and set on top. Cool in the tins for 15 minutes, before turning out onto a round platter.
   
   
7. Arrange cupcakes in a wreath pattern. Top each with a spoon of whipped cream, and decorate with berries, herbs and edible flowers.

Note: this also makes a decadent chocolate cake. Simply use a 25cm springform pan, and bake for 25 minutes.

Credit: This is an adapted version of a recipe originally published by Amanda Cordony.