Ostara ~ Honey Chocolate Cupcakes

Ostara ~ Spring Equinox is also known as Vernal Equinox, Lady Day and Alban Eiler and is celebrated between March 20th to March 23rd, in the Northern Hemisphere. With the sun gaining more strength, the days are becoming warmer and longer. Day and night are of equal length. Ostara is about growth and balance. Nature is beginning to stir and the songs of birds fill the air. It is also a time to celebrate the Goddess of Spring and Dawn, Eoster, whom the hare is most associated to. It is from Eostre that the Christian celebration of Easter evolved. 

Baking or cooking with eggs and honey is appropriate during Ostara. As honey celebrates the awakening of bees and plant life - something they rely on in order to make their honey. Eggs, another symbol of Spring celebrations, symbolizes life, the universe and the rebirth of nature with fertility of the Earth and all creation... a balance of light, the egg white and dark, the egg yolk. 

Celebrating Ostara with these delicate chocolate honey cupcakes is a scrumptious way to welcome Spring. Happy Ostara to all!    

Ostara Honey Chocolate Cupcakes

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1/4 cup (57 g/2oz) butter

3/4 cups (180 ml/6 fl oz) honey

1 egg

1/2 cup (118 ml/4 fl oz) milk

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup (225g/8 oz) unbleached all purpose flour

3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

sliced almonds for decorating

Preheat oven to 350ºF /180ºC /Gas Mark 4. Paper line or grease a 12 cup muffin tin.

Using and electric mix, beat the butter until light and gradually add the honey, beating until light and creamy.

Beat in the egg, vanilla and milk.

In a separate bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt, and gradually add to the butter mixture, mixing until well blended. 

Spoon the batter into the 12 prepared muffin cups, filling each three - quarters full.

Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes. Remove the cakes from the oven to a wire rack to cool. Spread the top of each cupcake with chocolate icing or melted chocolate, if desired, and sprinkle with sliced almonds.