I admit I am not over the moon in love with Mars Bars. They always seem too cloyingly sweet for me. Unless of course I am low on blood sugar at 4pm on a workday afternoon and am craving sugar. Then they’re just about right to my slightly skewed sense of proportion. This cupcake is an homage to that super sweet and sugar chocolatey confection that I usually shun except for during my witching hour when only sweets will do.
The cake itself is a caramel mud cake topped with a chocolate icing. It’s sweet yes and inside and on top is a piece of Mars Bar to make it even sweeter. Please forgive the photos if you will, they were made last minute for a work fundraiser for the bushfires and due to the late hour, they lighting wasn’t as good as I wanted. And I broke my rule of not eating Mars Bars past 4pm and had one of those at 8pm at night. It was delicious, and not just for a 4pm sugar rush.
Mars Bar flavoured cupcakes
An original recipe by Not Quite Nigella
Makes 9 cupcakes
For cupcakes
- 100g butter, chopped
- 100g white chocolate chips
- 100g muscovado sugar (or dark brown sugar)
- 90ml hot water
- 1 teaspoon golden syrup
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 eggs at room temperature
- 1 cup plain flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 Mars Bars chopped into 9 pieces
For icing
- 90g/3oz milk or dark Chocolate
- 125g/4.4 ozs Icing Sugar
- 120g Butter/4ozs, softened
To decorate
- 1 large Mars Bar cut into slices
1. Preheat oven to 160C/320F. Line muffin tray with cupcakes liners. In a small saucepan place butter, chocolate, sugar, water, golden syrup and vanilla and stir to melt, about 5 minutes on medium heat. Cool for 15 minutes. Beat in egg ensuring that it is thoroughly incorporated.
2. Sift flour and baking powder and stir into wet mixture until it is incorporated and there are no lumps. Pour into a jug and using the jug pour into the cupcake pan, about 2/3-3/4 of the way up. Place a piece of Mars Bar in each cupcake so that it sits in the centre. Bake for 20-25 minutes until a skewer comes out clean.
3. For Icing: Melt chocolate in a microwave according to instructions (I do it on 30% or 50% power in 60 second bursts). Put icing sugar in food processor to get rid of any lumps or sieve in a bowl. If using a food processor beat with butter and then cooled chocolate. If doing it by hand, whisk with butter in with the sieved icing sugar and then add chocolate and beat by hand using a large whisk.
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51 Comments | Add your own
Mars bars are the ultimate for blood sugar. We used to eat them after swimming lessons when we were young. The cupcakes look beautiful. You’ve even managed to cut the Mars bar straight!
I am so craving one of those cupcakes now!
What scrumptious cupcakes! Mouthwateringly delicious!
Cheers,
Rosa
MMMMMMM…Lorraine, you have done a great job!!! I love them!!! Can I have 1 or 2 right now!! But it is nearly midnight now, but I am craving for 1 or 2 or 3,…?!!!
Oh wow…I want one NOW!…
Sending hubby to buy Mars Bars.
OMG – you had me at the title “Mars Bar cupcakes”. I hate to admit it but I love Mars Bars – the only reason that I cannot remember the last time I ate one is because in my old age, I am desperately trying to avoid putting back the spare tyre that I actually happily carried around for most of my twenties with gay abandon. These look absolutely wonderful, and the photos look great – absolutely could lick the screen (except it’s kinda dusty – ewww).
OOohh I may be a Snickers guy but these cupcakes look and sound soo tastyyy! MMm sugar high XD
Your Mars slices are soo cleanly cut, so pro!
And have you tried the Red Mars? What’s the difference?
These cupcakes look amazing! I don’t think it’s possible to go wrong by combining cake with candy
I’m totally full and still on a sugar high from cookies, cupcakes and marshmallows, and those STILL look great.
Now we’re talking….
Welcome home Lorraine!
My witching hour during the week is between 3-4pm and, I must tell you, it is quite evil. These little wicked cupcakes look like the perfect sinful fix! They’re out of this world, Lorraine!!
I’d so rather these than my usual chocolate bar come 4pm! =)
Oh yeah! These look great, though my afternoon sugar rush more often comes from a fresh chocolate croissant than a packaged chocolate bar, I would swap for one of these cupcakes
Stunning pictures!!!
Now your talking! If only it weren’t Lent, I’d be scouring the shops for Mars Bars and in the kitchen in a flash! Oh, I bet Nigella herself would soooo love these…
Looks delicious with the chopped mars bars on top! yummy!
woah i feel like i might get diabetes by just looking at that!
Yum! Cupcakes and Mars Bars, I reckon that sounds like a winner. Especially when you’ve added a Mars Bar piece to the centre.
I like the what are they called.. cupcake holders? Did you buy those or handmake those?
The red mars bar are supposed to have half the fat… if you compare it’s probably because they are a smaller bar with less nougat.
Can you believe I’ve never tried a Mars bar? I would guess there’s no better way to introduce them to my palate than these cupcakes. Sweet or not, they look sinfully tempting.
I normally use Snickers bars for cupcakes, but Mars bars?! Oh, the possibilities~!
Hi. Arwen-Yeah they give such a sugar rush! Hehe yes good to replacing energy, well short term wise. Thankyou! I really wanted the cut to be a clean one
Hi Kevin-Thankyou so much!
Hi Rosa-Thanks Rosa!
Hi Sophie -Thankyou! Sure
Awww no I wish I could send you some!
Hi DevilishDamsel-Hehe did he buy some?
Hi Cakelaw-There’s something about combining chocolate and cake isn’t there?
Hehe at licking your screen 
Hi FFichiban-Hey you could definitely do these with Snickers too! Yep sugar high indeed
I haven’t tried them yet -actually. But
Hi Sara-Hehe yes exactly, no-one is going to complain are they?
Hi anna-Why thankyou! That’s the ultimate test really!
Hi Karen-Why thankyou Karen!
Hi lisa -Yes I sometimes start at 3pm. And the world needs to be warned because low sugar=crankypants! Thankyou so much Lisa!
Hi Brianna-Maybe a quick bake up of these and you could have one each afternoon for a couple of weeks?
Hi lili-Oooh a fresh choc croissant is a good way to satisfy those cravings!
Hi Jennifer-Thankyou!
Hi Angela-Aww no, well perhaps after Lent you could make these?
I think she would too!
Hi pigpigscorner-Thanks so much!
Hi K-Haha not quite! Not unless you ate a dozen of them!
Hi Anita-I think it needed the Mars Barpiece on top, just to tip it over the edge!
Hi Y -Thanks! I made them with some wrapping paper that I cut into squares
Hi tara-Ahh ok. so nothing that different taste wise? Ah well
Hi Sandie-Oh really? They’re very sweet! Hehe yes this is a good intro to them.
Hi Midge-I think they’d be great with Snickers or Mars bars (or another chocolate bar!) Yes the mind boggles!
Mars & cupcakes… One have a winning combo here…
I missed a few posts..again… going over those now:-)
Hi Soma-Hehe thankyou!
chocolate, chocolate, and more chocolate. and caramel too. all i can say is freakin’ fantastic!
Now this is what we like. Candy in cupcakes, cakes and cookies.
Hi grace-Hehe it’s hard to say no isn’t it!
Hi The Duo Dishes-Hehe yes, the sweet stuff seems to win many over!
I LOVE Mars bars! I’m going to have to try these.
I’m not a mars bars fan at all, but one of the girls at work has been hassling me for ages to make some “Mars Bars Muffins”. And lo-and-behold, you provided a recipe that would, and I could not refuse. I was good and only had one..the others at work scoffed them all! Shame only makes 9..will have to double the recipe to increase numbers! Thanks once again for a great recipe.
my cupcakes turned out rock hard!! why!!????
Hi Fuji Mama-Cool! I hope you like them
Hi Jules-How serendipitous!
So glad that they were a hit and you’re more than welcome!
Hi K-Rock hard is very odd indeed. The only time I’ve had a rock hard cake is when someone I knew made a cake but didn’t measure the ingredients accurately and altered the quantitues so could that be it?
hi i was just woundering if i could use this recipe as a cake recipe instead of a cup cake recipe?
Hi Amanda-Sure I don’t see why not! Although I’m not sure what size cake tin you would need?
Hi,
)
looks like very tasty treats,
and i was just writing down the recipe, but in the method you’ve mentioned the use of eggs, however i cannot see how many are meant to be used in the ingredients listed.
hope to find out soon as i want to make them for the weekend!
thanks
Hi Suzie-Thanks
The recipe calls for 1 egg, it’s in the list just above the flour 
ohh sorry. silly me.
thanks very much for the reply.
Hi Suzie-No problems at all
Thank you for sharing this recipe. I had a lush cake at a local (independent) coffee shop about a year ago which they called Mars Bar Cake which has been haunting me! It appeared to be a basic round chocolate cake with no icing but tasted as I imagine these must do – divine – and after searching a year for something even remotely similar (not just another Crispie-cake recipe!) I can’t wait to give these a go.
Hi
I just wondered what size cases you used for these – are they muffin size ones or the smaller fairy cake/bun case size? Thanks!
I’m looking to make something very similar to this, but in cake form (for a loved ones birthday).
How do you think this recipe would hold up if I did it in a cake tin and altered the baking time?
I attempted these and they rose up like mini souffle’s then collapsed into mini heaps
( plus they were ‘white’ cupcakes not chocolate…recipe calls for white choc chips…am I going mad? Also…temperature seems far too low…??? HELP!!! x
i made these for my caramel loving boyfriend and ohhhhh my gosh! best cupcakes EVER!!! would love to try it in cake form but too scared to destroy the recipe! I seriously look for reasons to make these cupcakes now!!!
Julie, follow the recipe exactly how it says! it’s amazing watching all those ingredients turn into caramel!
Hiya how many grams of plain flour I needed please x
I just made these and they are absolutely de-vine. Just the perfect balance as they are not too rich. Perfect for a special occasion as well especially if you want to impress.
Hi Rhiannon-I’m so glad that you enjoyed them!
And I agree, perfect for a special occasion or gift! Thanks so much for letting us know what you thought of them 
Oh my gosh, this recipe is amazing! I made this for my best friend’s birthday, except I doubled the quantity and made a giant cupcake. It was absolutely delicious and everyone loved it! Thank you so much for the fantastic recipe!
Hi Anushka! I’m so glad that you liked it and thanks so much for your lovely comment! You’re very welcome
I followed this recipe to a tee, it was the worst batch of cupcakes I have ever made and I’m a great cook….they were meant to be for a 21st bday. After 20mons in the oven they just boiled over everywhere into a sloppy mess. Very disappointed.
HI Kay, I’m not sure what happened with your batch but quite a few people have made these with success and have commented so. You may have overfilled your cupcakes or did you bake them too high?
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