Chocolate Echidna Cupcakes

Step 1: Preheat oven to 180C/160C fan forced.

Step 2: Grease a 24 hole, 1 1/2 tablespoon capacity mini muffin pan.

Step 3: Using an electric mixer, beat butter, vanilla, egg, milk, flour, cocoa and sugar on a low speed until combined.

Step 4: Increase speed to high and beat for 2 minutes or until smooth and creamy.

Step 5: Add chopped cookies to batter and fold until just combined.

Step 6: Divide mixture among prepared pan holes and bake for 12 minutes or until cakes spring back when lightly touched and then stand pan for 2 minutes.

Step 7: Transfer cakes to a wire rack lined with baking paper to cool completely.

Step 8: Meanwhile, make chocolate ganache - place dark chocolate and 1/2 the cream in a microwave safe bowl and microwave on medium (50%), stirring with a metal spoon every 30 seconds, for 2 minutes or until smooth and then repeat with milk chocolate and remaining cream in a separate microwave safe bowl.

Step 9: Refrigerate for 1 hour or until spreadable.

Step 10: Using a sharp knife, cut each pretzel stick on an angle into thirds.

Step 11: Spread the front and a little of the top of 1 cake with a little milk chocolate ganache to form the face.

Step 12: Spread the remaining top of the cake with 3 teaspoons of the dark chocolate ganache to form the body, using a palette knife to create small spines.

Step 13: Spread a little of the milk ganache onto 1 end of 1 bullet and press bullet in the cake to form a snout, holding until secure.

Step 14: Place 2 black cachous above the snout to form the eyes and repeat with the remaining cakes, ganache mixture, pretzel pieces, bullets and black cachous.

Step 15: To finish off press 6 pretzels, angle side facing up, into each cake on the top to form spikes and then let stand for 30 minutes before serving.