Chocolate Malt Cupcakes and Individual Cupcake Stands

I know people extol the virtues of Ikea. How stylish they are, how cheap, how cheerful. I have one word for these people- FLATPACK. It is no fun, especially if you are about as DIY-friendly as a one eye-ed, one-armed almost-blind pensioner. Which I am. I have no skill in that area. One Christmas I got a Barbie Jeep from Santa and I was so excited (you could open the roof of the Jeep and it became this sort of caravan thing in fairness). Flash forward four hours later and Dad is trying to screw the jeep door to the windscreen and cursing under his breath because the instructions don't make sense and there is a mysterious piece, the purpose of which is one of seven mysterious of the world. I'm bawling and crying impatiently... But when I saw these individual cupcake stands I thought I could cope with sliding the three pieces together. And they are very easy to assemble, as well as a lot more sturdy than they look. At €2.95 from Kitchencraft they also don't break the bank. Adorable I think you will agree.

These cupcakes are an Eddie Rockets malt in a cupcake. By special request from the BF. I basically fiddled around with a few different recipes and am really really happy with these. Moist malty chocolate sponge with an airy, melt in your mouth malt frosting. Delicious! 

For the cupcake 
115g chocolate, preferably 70% cocoa solids
85g unsalted butter softened
175g light brown sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten in a cup
185g plain flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda
60g ovaltine
75ml milk

Method:
1. Melt the chocolate in a microwave for 20 seconds at a time, giving a good stir in between.
2. Beat butter and sugar together until fluffy.
3. Pour in the eggs, quarter at a time with a heaped tablespoon of flour. Continue adding egg and flour until all the egg is gone. Give a good beating.
4. Fold in the dry ingredients.
5. Add the milk and fold in.
6. Bake for 20 minutes @ 180oC.

Icing recipe to follow!