Mint cupcakes

Preheat the oven to 180ºC/fan 170ºC/350ºF/gas mark 4.

Place the chocolate in a bowl and pour over 120ml just-boiled water. Stir until melted, then set aside to cool.

In a bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda, then stir in the ground almonds. In a bowl of an electric mixer (or in a bowl with a electric hand whisk), cream together the butter and sugar until very light and fluffy (this will take a good 5 mins). Add the vanilla extract to the eggs. With the whisk running, very slowly add the add mixture to the butter and sugar, adding 1 tbsp of the flour during the process to prevent curdling, then add the melted chocolate and the buttermilk. Fold in the remaining flou.

Place the paper cases into a cupcake tin and divide the batter between them. Bake for 2530 minutes. When they spring back to the touch, remove to cool on a wire rack.

Meanwhile, beat together the butter and icing sugar for a good 5 minutes until really light, then add the peppermint extract and a touch of green food colour paste.

With a palette knife, spread buttercream on to the cupcakes and decorate each with a sprig of mint.