I was expecting a lot of guests for my birthday party, so I figured 3 different batches would do for everyone to have a taste. I had also just acquired a cupcake stand, so I wanted them to look pretty and colourful as well.

I love berries, so there was no doubt that I would have berries in and on at least some of my birthday cupcakes… eventually I chose two secret-centre chocolate recipes, and instead of my favourite strawberry cupcakes I did blueberry instead! I topped the blueberry cupcakes- in sliver cups- with a purple butter icing, 3 fresh blueberries and silver dragees. I just love the sour berries and the sweet icing and cake combination.

I then baked chocolate cupcakes with a whole strawberry inside- the secret centre- in black cups. I iced them with strawberry flavoured, butter icing that I coloured almost red, a fresh raspberry and confetti sprinkles with edible glitter (‘coz I do love all things shiny).

The other chocolate cupcakes had a crème-caramel secret centre, and I baked them in gold cups. I iced them with an uber-rich chocolate fudge icing, hundreds and thousands and a little moulded fondant cupcake! As an added surprise, there was a little blob of caramel underneath the chocolate icing!