Sift together flours, cocoa, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda. Set aside.
In a stand mixer or with hand held beaters cream together butter and sugar until pale and creamy. Occasionally scrape own the sides of the bowl.
Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Add vanilla and then buttermilk. The mixture may appear curdled but don’t worry, it will be fine.
Using a low speed, gently fold in the dry ingredients, and again, scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure even mixing. Do not overmix as this will result in tough muffins.
Spoon evenly into a well-greased 12 hole muffin tin or into a tin lined with paper cases. (4) Bake for 5 minutes then lower the oven temperature to 180oC/350oF. Bake a further 10-15 minutes.
Test with a skewer which will come out clean when cooked. Cool the muffins slightly (if you can bear to) before transferring to a wire rack to cool.
If you wish, dust with icing/confectioners’ sugar to serve.
Notes
NOTES: 1. When baking with rice flour, I buy mine from an Asian grocery. It is very finely ground. I have found that some rice flour from the supermarket can be quite grainy. 2. Check that the cornflour you buy is actually made from corn as quite a lot is made from wheat. 3. The initial higher oven temperature causes a faster rise for the muffins, resulting in a more domed result. Don’t forget to lower the temperature after 5 minutes. 4. Once you’ve made the batter, place your muffins into the oven immediately as the baking powder will have begun to work after coming into contact with moisture. VARIATIONS: 1. Prior to baking, when you have filled the muffin tin, make an indentation in the top of the muffin batter and add a teaspoon of raspberry jam. OR 2. I make a cream cheese filling which is delicious. Soften 100 gm cream cheese, add ½ tspn vanilla and 1 tbspn of icing/confectioners’ sugar. Mix well, half fill the muffin tin with the batter. Make an indentation in the batter and divide the cream cheese amongst the muffins. Add the rest of the batter.