The Cave: Magnifico the Magnificent’s Invisible Cupcake

On its release several weeks ago, I was completely addicted to the wonderful little puzzle game that is The Cave. On my first adventure through its murky depths, I took with me The Adventurer, The Time Traveller and The Monk. The moment I had to travel back in time to block some dripping water to prevent a stalactite being formed in the present… ! I was sold. One of the more darker tales was that of The Hillbilly; a story of love and loss at the carnival, from whence our magical cupcake appears.

Click ‘Read More’ for the full recipe!

This recipe makes 16 cupcakes.

What you will need: A muffin tray, brown cupcake cases, 3 mixing bowls, a whisk, a piping bag and a large nozzle.

For the Chocolate Cupcakes:

150g / ¾ Cup Butter (Room Temperature)

50ml / ¼ Cup Vegetable Oil

400g / 1½ Cups Caster/Superfine Sugar

3 Large Eggs (Room Temperature)

2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract

200g / 1¾ Cups Flour

125g / 1 Cup High Quality Cocoa Powder

1 Teaspoon Baking Powder

¼ Teaspoon Baking/Bicarbonate Soda

Pinch of Salt

225ml / 1 Cup Milk

For the Strawberry Frosting:

110g / ½ Cup Butter (Room Temperature)

450g / 2 Cups Strawberry Flavoured Icing/Confectioners Sugar

2-3 Tablespoons Milk

To Garnish:

Strawberry Sauce

Edible Glitter

Red Maraschino Cherries

Making the Chocolate Cupcakes:

1. Line the muffin tray with the cupcake cases, and preheat the oven to 175C/350F.
2. In a large bowl, beat together the butter, vegetable oil and butter together until pale and smooth. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well between each one, then add the vanilla extract.
3. In a separate bowl, add the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking/bicarbonate soda and salt. Add half of the flour mixture to the butter, and stir in. Next and half the milk and stir again. Repeat with the rest of the flour, follow by the milk until gently combined.
4. Fill the cupcake cases, and bake the cupcakes in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes. Until firm, but springy to the touch. Once baked, leave the cupcakes to cool completely.

Making the Strawberry Frosting:

1. In a large bowl, beat the butter until pale. Gradually add the strawberry flavoured icing/confectioners sugar while continuing to beat. Add a few tablespoons of milk as needed to thin the frosting to the desired consistency.

Garnishing Magnifico the Magnificent’s Invisible Cupcake:

1. Fill a piping bag fitted with a large nozzle with the strawberry frosting. Pipe a large swirl on top of the cupcake. Garnish with a drizzle of strawberry sauce, a sprinkle of edible glitter and a cherry on top.
2. Put the cupcake into your mouth and… tah-dah! Invisible! And yet the weight still counts - Magic!

If there’s one thing you should get more of at carnivals, beyond the hot-dogs and candy-floss, it’s cupcakes. Maybe that should be “cup-cakes” and it would be accepted among the other hyphenated foods… Chocolatey and delicious, there has never been such a thing as a disappointing cupcake. I only wish they were actually invisible, so then I could eat as many as I liked and no one would realise what a piggy I was being. I would simply appear to be yawning.

Gourmet Gaming is saddened to hear of Ron Gilbert’s recent departure from Double Fine, but look forward to the games he may make in the future.

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