Each year, during the time of Hajj, Muslims perform Qurbani by sacrificing an animal such as a sheep or a cow and then sharing some of the meat with family, neighbours and poor people.

Make some sheep cupcakes that you can share with your neighbours.

Makes 12 cupcakes.

You Will Need: 

  • 4oz Butter

  • 4oz Sugar

  • 2 Eggs

  • 3oz Self-raising flour

  • 1oz Cocoa powder

  • 100g White chocolate

  • Mini marshmallows

  • 36 Chocolate chips

  • 12 Chocolate buttons

  • Plus:

  • 2 Small bowls

  • A basin

  • A food mixer or hand whisk

  • 12 Cupcake cases

  • A cupcake tray

  • 2 tablespoons

how to make the sheep cupcakes

  1. Ask an adult to turn the oven on at Gas Mark 6 / 200°C.

  2. Put the butter into the small bowl and microwave it for 10 seconds, so it’s nice and soft but not melted.

  3. Using your food mixer, mix together the butter and sugar in the basin, until it’s white and fluffy.

  4. Crack the eggs into the bowl, making sure there are no eggshells inside.

  5. Now carefully pour the eggs into the basin and mix together.

  6. Add in the flour and cocoa powder and mix it all up!

  7. Ask your adult helper to carefully mix in 2 tablespoons of boiling water – this will make your cupcakes nice and soft.

  8. Line the cupcake tray with the cases, then share out the cake batter equally into each of the cases using a tablespoon.

  9. Put the cupcakes into the oven and bake for 15 minutes. Ask your adult helper to check if they’re cooked by putting a toothpick inside one of them – if it comes out clean, they’re ready!

How to Decorate the Sheep Cupcakes:

  1. Break the white chocolate into a clean bowl, then microwave for 30 seconds. Give it a stir with a clean, dry spoon, then pop it back in the microwave for another 20 seconds. Stir until it’s smooth and runny.

  2. Cover the tops of the cupcakes with the white chocolate.

  3. Now stick one chocolate button on to the front of the cupcakes – this will be the sheep’s head.

  4. Give each sheep two ears with a chocolate chip on either side of the head.

  5. Use the last 12 chocolate chips to put a tail on the back of each sheep.

  6. Now cover the rest of the cupcake in mini marshmallows.

  7. Leave to cool, then pack some up for your neighbours and enjoy the rest!

Find out more about Qurbani and the story of Hajj HERE.