"Muffins are just ugly cupcakes"

I recently came across a t-shirt that read "Muffins are just ugly cupcakes" accompanied by a picture with some very sad-looking muffins and a few impossibly pretty cupcakes dancing around them. After I'd laughed hysterically for a while, it really tugged on my heart strings... What did muffins ever do to deserve to be called ugly?! I mean, all that really stands between a muffin and a cupcake is a deliciously sweet frosting right? and the cute little cases they come in.. oh and I almost forgot the sprinkles! Okay so maybe cupcakes are adorable...


But, for once I'm going to stay neutral and unbiased on the cupcake-issue so these chocolate chip brioche cakes are neither cupcakes nor muffins, in fact I'm not really sure what they are but I'm sure they'll satisfy all - whether you're on team muffin or team cupcake!

Chocolate chip brioche cakes with citrus butter hearts
These warm buttery cakes are perfect for a breakfast-in-bed surprise served with a cup of steaming hot coffee
(makes 12)

275g cake flour
½ T instant yeast
60g castor sugar
pinch salt
4 eggs
115g butter, softened
115g chocolate chips

Citrus butter hearts
200g butter, softened
Zest of 2 oranges
¼ cup icing sugar, sifted

Mix the flour, yeast, sugar, salt and eggs to form a soft sticky dough. Leave in a warm place to rise until doubled. Mix in the butter and chocolate. Half fill 12 greased mini brioche tins or an equal amount of cavities in a muffin pan. Leave to rise again until doubled and bake at 200˚C for 10 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. Make the citrus butter by combining the ingredients, press into heart-shaped ice cube trays and refrigerate until firm. Serve with the warm brioche cakes.