Cadbury Dairy Milk Cupcakes

Name: Cadbury Dairy Milk Cupcakes
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 25 min
Ingredients: 190 g Butter, softened; 190 g Caster sugar; 1 Teaspoon Vanilla extract; 4 Medium Eggs; 150 g Self-raising flour; 40 g Unsweetened cocoa powder ((I used Cadbury Bourneville)); 180 g Dairy Milk chocolate; 180 g Butter, softened; 250 g Icing sugar; 12 Squares Dairy Milk chocolate ((plus more for drizzling on top))

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These Cadbury Dairy Milk cupcakes are a chocolate lover's dream! Soft, fluffy chocolate cupcakes topped with decadent Cadbury chocolate buttercream and a square of Dairy Milk.

a single cadbury dairy milk cupcake with chocolate on top

Can you believe this is the first cupcake recipe I'm posting to the blog? It's been a long time coming so I thought I'd start with a banger...

Cadbury chocolate cupcakes made with Dairy Milk!

They're soft, light and fluffy, topped with a super decadent Dairy Milk buttercream, Dairy Milk chunks and melted chocolate. This is a must-try recipe for anyone who loves Cadbury's chocolate!

If you'd like detailed ingredient notes and top tips for this recipe, simply keep on reading. And for those of you who prefer the quick, condensed version, you can find it in the recipe card at the end of this post. Enjoy!

Ingredients

Here's what you'll need to make chocolate Dairy Milk cupcakes:

Butter: Use unsalted, softened butter for this recipe. Using butter straight from the fridge will make it very difficult to mix. If you need to soften your butter quickly, you can pop it in the microwave for 10-15 seconds- just make sure you don't melt it.
Caster sugar: Caster sugar is a finer version of granulated white sugar and improves the texture of baked goods. It's also known as superfine sugar in some countries.
Vanilla extract: To add some extra flavour. If you like, you can swap this for 1 teaspoon of cold espresso to enhance the chocolate flavour.
Eggs: I use medium-sized eggs for baking. Large eggs will also work but if you're using small eggs, you might need to add a splash of milk to the batter to help loosen it.
Self-raising flour: Self-raising flour is best for baking because it saves the need to use any baking powder or baking soda. This is what will give your cupcakes their light, fluffy texture.
Cocoa powder: Always use unsweetened cocoa for baking, as things like hot chocolate powder can mess with the final result due to the added sugar and milk.
Icing sugar: You'll need 250g of icing sugar (or confectioner's sugar) to make the buttercream.
Dairy Milk chocolate: The star of the show, Cadbury Dairy Milk chocolate! We'll be melting this and adding it to the beautifully decadent buttercream.

Equipment

Aside from the ingredients listed above, you'll also need the following:

Mixing bowls and utensils: Make sure you have a large mixing bowl and a heatproof bowl to hand, as well as a wooden spoon for mixing and smaller spoons for transferring the batter into the cupcake cases.
Cupcake cases and tin: You'll need 12 full-size cupcake cases and a tin that'll fit them all in.
Food scale: I haven't included cup measurements for this recipe because accuracy matters, especially when it comes to baking! Always follow the recipe exactly without making any substitutions for the best results.
Piping bag and nozzle: If you want your Cadbury cupcakes to look extra fancy you can pipe the buttercream on top. I used a large star nozzle. Otherwise, feel free to spoon it on with a teaspoon.

How to make Dairy Milk cupcakes

Step 1: Preheat your oven to 180℃/350°F (or 160℃/325°F for fan and convection ovens). Line a cupcake tin with 12 paper cases.

Step 2: In a large bowl, mix together 190g of softened butter and 190g of caster sugar. Once it's soft and fluffy, stir in 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract.

Step 3: Now add 4 medium eggs, 150g of self-raising flour and 40g of cocoa powder. Mix well until you have a smooth, slightly thick cake batter. If it's a bit too thick, you can add a tablespoon or two of milk to help loosen it.

Step 4: Divide the batter equally between the 12 cases then pop them in the oven. Bake for 20-25 minutes on the middle shelf, until a toothpick comes out clean. Transfer the cupcakes to a wire rack and let them cool.

Step 5: Break 180g of Cadbury Dairy Milk into chunks then melt it. Set it aside to cool completely. This is super important because if it's still warm when you add it to the buttercream, it'll cause curdling.

Step 6: In a medium-sized bowl, mix together 180g of softened butter and 250g of icing sugar. You can stir the icing sugar in a little bit at a time to make it easier.

Step 7: Stir the cooled melted chocolate into the buttercream until smooth. Transfer it to a piping bag with a large star nozzle and pipe some buttercream onto each cupcake.

piping dairy milk buttercream onto cupcakes

Step 8: Top each cupcake with a square of Dairy Milk chocolate and drizzle over some melted chocolate. Then all that's left to do is enjoy your Dairy Milk cupcakes!

drizzling melted chocolate over cupcakes

Top tips

Soften your butter before you start baking. This will make it so much easier to mix! To do this, you can leave it out at room temperature for 60 minutes or you can pop it in the microwave for 10-15 seconds, being careful not to melt it.
The texture of your cake batter will depend on the size of your eggs. If it's too thick, you can add a tablespoon or two of milk to help loosen it.
The melted Dairy Milk must be completely cool to the touch before you add it to the buttercream, otherwise, it'll curdle.
Add a small amount of cocoa powder to the buttercream to enhance the chocolate flavour and colour.

FAQ

How long do Dairy Milk cupcakes last?

They will keep well for up to 3 days if stored appropriately. I recommend storing them in airtight containers in a cool, dry place such as a kitchen cupboard.

Can I freeze them?

Yes, Cadbury cupcakes are great for freezing. Just put them into airtight containers and freeze for up to 1 month. When you're ready to defrost them, let them sit out at room temperature for an hour or two until fully thawed. Do not refreeze.

Can I use hot chocolate powder?

I don't recommend it for this recipe. Hot chocolate powder typically has milk and sugar added to it which can affect the way the cupcakes bake and therefore the final result/taste. Always use unsweetened cocoa powder for best results.

chocolate dairy milk cupcakes on a white cake stand

More Cadbury chocolate recipes:

I hope you like these Dairy Milk Cadbury cupcakes! If you make them at home, please let me know how you get on by leaving a rating and/or comment below. Enjoy!