Chocolate Carrot-in-the-Garden Cupcakes

Ingredients:

• 1 cup premium flour
• 0.5 tsp of soda
• 0.5 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 0.5 cup cocoa powder
• 3/4 cup whole milk
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 55 g unsweetened chocolate, chopped
• 165 g butter, room temperature
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• A pinch of salt
• 2 tbsp. heavy cream
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp cocoa powder
• Orange spruce food coloring
• Sour green apple jelly sticks or string, cut into 5cm pieces, for garnish

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cupcake pan with paper liners.
2. Bake cupcakesIn a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt. Add the cocoa powder to a larger bowl. Bring the milk to a boil in a small saucepan or microwave. Pour the cocoa powder into the milk and whisk until smooth. Stir in the sugar, vegetable oil, egg, and vanilla. Fold in the flour mixture.
3. Divide the batter evenly among the prepared cupcake liners, filling them three-quarters full. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean, 20-25 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then remove the cupcakes to a wire rack and cool completely.
4. Meanwhile, prepare the glaze.In a small microwave-safe bowl, melt the chocolate in 30-second intervals, stirring, until smooth; cool slightly.
5. In a large bowl, beat the butter with a mixer on high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Reduce the mixer speed to low; add the powdered sugar and salt and beat until combined. Then increase the speed to high and beat until creamy, about 3 more minutes. Reduce the mixer speed to medium, add the cream and vanilla, and beat until fluffy, about 1 minute.
6. Transfer about a third of the icing to a small bowl and stir in the melted chocolate and cocoa powder. Tint the remaining icing with bright orange food coloring. Transfer the orange icing to a pastry bag fitted with a large round tip.
7. Using a knife, cut a small cone-shaped piece from the center of each cupcake, about halfway down. Crumble the cake into a bowl. Frost the tops of the cupcakes with a thin layer of frosting, being careful not to cover the cutouts. Press the crumbled cake into the frosting to resemble soil in a garden bed. Pipe orange frosting into each cupcake hole, allowing it to stick out above the surface to resemble carrots. Insert a few apple straws into the orange frosting to resemble the tops of the apples.