Devil's Fairtrade ale cakes

Preheat the oven to 180C. Bring the ale to the boil in a saucepan. Remove from the heat and stir in the cocoa. Leave to cool until it reaches room temperature. Sift together the flour, salt and baking soda and set aside. Cream the butter and sugar together with an electric mixer until very light and fluffy (about 5 mins), add the egg and beat until just incorporated. Beat in the cooled ale/cocoa mixture. Add the sifted dry mixture in three parts, alternating with the buttermilk in two parts; beginning and ending with the dry and beating thoroughly after each addition. Spoon the batter into a baking tray lined with cupcake cases and fill 2/3 of the way. Bake in a preheated oven for 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Cool briefly in the pans and then transfer to a wire rack until cooled completely.

For the frosting, boil the ale in a saucepan, remove from the heat and stir in the cocoa. Allow to cool completely then transfer to a bowl and place in the fridge if necessary. Beat the butter until smooth. Add the vanilla, ale/cocoa mixture and half the icing sugar and continue to beat. Gradually add all of the sugar, beating continuously until you reach a consistency you like. Spread onto the cooled cupcakes and top with shavings of Fairtrade chocolate and Brazil nuts.