Vanilla Whoopie Pies

These Whoopie Pies are a the new baking sensation. They originated in America in the Amish community where the women made them for their husband's/children's lunch boxes. When they opened the box they would shout 'Whoopie' at the nice suprise. Today they are sold all over America and have taken off in the UK too. They are normally filled with a marshmallow cream but as I am a vegetarian that rules the mashmallows out so I used vanilla buttercream.

Recipe

Makes 20

Ingredients

75g unsalted butter

150g caster sugar

125g soured cream

25ml cold milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

3/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda

275g plain flour

200g icing sugar

sugar balls or sprinkles to decorate

For the marshmallow cream

100g white marshmallows

50ml milk

125g very soft unsalted butter

1. Line a large baking tray with baking paper and preheat the oven to 180C/gas mark 4.
2. Melt the 75g of butter and set aside. Using an electric hand mixer, whisk the egg until light and fluffy. Beat in the sugar, a third at a time, until thick and glossy.
3. Beat in the melted butter, soured cream, milk and vanilla. Sift the bicarboante of soda and flour into the bowl and beat until smooth. Using a wide piping nozzle (this gives a neater shape) or spoon, pipe or spoon the mixture on to the tray in small walnut sized balls, 3-4 cm apart. You may need to bake in batches.
4. Bake for 13-14 minutes until almost evenly golden on top. Leave to cool for a few minutes, then trasfer to a cooling rack and bake the remaining mixture.
5. For the cream, heat the marshmallows and milk in a saucepan over a low heat, stirring until smooth, then cool. Beat the butter until creamy and soft then gradually beat into the marshmallow until smooth.
6. Sandwich the two whoopie cakes together with the marshmallow cream.
7. For the icing, mix the icing sugar with 2-3 tbsp cold water. Spread a little on each whoopie. Decorate with the sprinkles and leave to set. Once iced and filled they only last about 1/2 a day.

Carrot & Orange Cupcakes

This is a new recipe which I tried at the weekend and passed the taste test by friends, family and work colleagues. They are really moist and for the icing I used low fat cream cheese so they don't feel quite so naughty.

 

Recipe

Makes 12

Ingredients

115g butter, softened or soft margarine

115g soft light brown sugar

Juice and finely grated rind of 1 small orange

2 large eggs, lightly beaten 

175g carrots, grated

25g walnuts, roughly chopped

125g plain flour 

1 tsp ground mixed spice

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

Icing

75g low fat cream cheese

40g butter, at room temperature

35g icing sugar

Walnuts to decorate

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/Gas Mark 4. Line a 12 hole muffin tin with paper cases.
2. Place the butter, sugar and orange rind in a bowl and beat together until light and fluffy, then gradually beat in the eggs.
3. Squeeze any excess liquid from the carrots and add to the mixture with the walnuts and orange juice. Stir until well mixed.
4. Sift in the flour, mixed spice and baking powder and fold in. Spoon mixture into the paper cases.
5. Bake in the oven for 25 minutes or until risen, firm to the touch and golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack and leave to cool completely.
6. To make the icing, place the cream cheese and butter in a bowl and sift in the icing sugar. Beat until light and fluffy. Pipe icing on top of cakes and decorate with a walnut.

Miniature Christmas Cakes

I made these last Christmas for the first time to give as gifts and they were a great hit. For the moulds I used Silverwood mini round cake pan set, size 5cm or 2 inch. They are a little pricey so shop round a bit for the best cost. Nearer Christmas I will decorate them with marzipan and icing and add it to the blog.


www.alansilverwood.co.uk/id53.html

Recipe
Makes 16 mini or 18cm/7inch round cake


Ingredients
175g sultanas
175g currants
175g raisins
75g chopped peel
25ml/ 1 1/2 tbsp brandy
175g plain flour
40g ground almonds
3.5ml/ 3/4 tsp mixed spice
175g butter
175g soft brown sugar
3 eggs
15ml/ 1tbsp black treacle or molasses
2.5 ml/ 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
75g glace cherries
40g chopped almonds
3/4 lemon, rind and juice

1. Soak the sultanas, currants, raisins and chopped peel in brandy overnight.
2. Preheat the oven to 150C or gas mark 2. Grease and line cake tins or tin.
3. Sieve the flour, ground almonds and spice into a bowl. In another bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light, fluffy and pale. Do not over beat.
4. Lightly mix together the eggs, treacle and vanilla. Beat into the creamed mixture a little at a time adding a spoonful of flour after each addition.
5. Rinse the cherries and chop. Add to the fruit with the chopped almonds, lemon rind and juice and a small amount of flour. Fold the remaining flour into the creamed mixture, followed by the dried fruit. Add extra brandy or milk or necessary.
6. Spoon into cake tins or tin and level the top. Place a container of water in the oven to help keep the cake moist. If making one larger cake then tie a double layer of brown paper or newspaper around the outside of the tin to protect it during cooking.
7. Bake for about 1 hour for miniature cakes until a skewer comes out clean. For a larger cake bake for 1 hour and then reduce the oven temperature to 120C or gas mark 1/2 for a further 2 hours and again test with a skewer.
8. Allow to cool in the tin before removing. Prick the surface with a cocktail stick or skewer and drizzle over some brandy.
9. Store the cakes in greaseproof paper in an air tight container and in a cool place. Feed once a week with brandy. Leave to age for at least a month to allow the flavour to mature.

Feed the cakes about once a week with warm brandy for a least a month, then you can decorate them. Spread the cakes with an apricot glaze then place on your cake board. Roll out the marzipan, cover and trim to size then brush with a little brandy. Then roll out your icing and again cover and trim to size. You can now use your imagination and decorate as you wish. I used two different sized snowlakes in contrasting colours, finished off with a silver or blue ball. As most of them were for presents, I gift wrapped them with cellophane and ribbon. These are the finished articles.

Traditional Chocolate Brownie

I love this brownie recipe as they are nut free and more chewy than some of the other cake versions.

Recipe
Makes 12

200g dark chocolate, roughly chopped
175g unsalted butter
325g caster sugar
130g plain flour
3 eggs
Icing sugar, to decorate

• Preheat the oven to 170c or Gas Mark 3. Line and grease a 33 x 23 x 5 cm baking tray.
• Put the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water not letting the base of the bowl touch the water. Leave until melted and smooth.
• Remove from the heat. Add the sugar and stir until well incorporated. Add the flour until well mixed. Finally, stir in the eggs and mix until thick and smooth.
• Spoon the mixture into the prepared baking tray and bake in the preheated oven for about 30-35 minutes, or until flaky on the top but still soft in the centre. Be careful not to overcook, otherwise the edges will become hard and crunchy. Cut into squares in the tin then leave to cool completely before dusting with icing sugar.