Chocolate Daisy Cupcakes

I made these cakes for my mother-in-law's birthday, using a recipe from the Primrose Bakery's cook book. They are really light and moist and went down very well!! You can choose whatever colour and flavour buttercream you want to use. I used vanilla with pink food colouring to make them look a little more girlie!

Recipe

Makes 16

Ingredients

115g dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids)

85g unsalted butter, at room temperature

175g soft brown sugar

2 large eggs,free range, separated

185g plain flour, sifted

3/4 tsp baking powder

3/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda

Pinch of salt

250ml semi skimmed milk, at room temperature

1 tsp good quality vanilla extract

Vanilla Buttercream

110g unsalted butter, at room temperature

60ml semi-skimmed milk, at room temperature

1 tsp good quality vanilla extract

500g icing sugar, sifted

Few drops food colouring

12 icing daisies, (I made my own but you could always buy them ready made)

• Preheat the oven to 190C or gas mark 5 and line a couple of 12 hole muffin trays with 16 paper cases.
• Break the chocolate into pieces in a basin and melt over a pan of simmering water. Stir until it has completely melted and is quite smooth. Leave to cool slightly.
• In a large bowl cream the butter and sugar until the mixture is pale and smooth, which should take 3-5 minutes using an electric mixer. In a separate bowl and with clean beaters, beat the egg yolks for several minutes. Slowly add the egg yolks to the creamed mixture and beat well. Add the melted chocolate and again beat well.
• Combine the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt in a separate bowl. Put the milk in a jug with the vanilla extract. Add one third of the flour to the chocolate mixture and beat well. Pour in one third of the milk and beat again. Repeat these steps until all the flour and milk have been added. In a clean bowl, whisk the egg whites until soft peaks start to form. Carefully fold the egg whites into the batter using metal spoon. Do not beat or you will take all the air out of the mixture.
• Carefully spoon the mixture into the cupcake cases, filling them to about two-thirds full. This is a fairly liquid batter, so take care when spooning out as it can end up being very messy. Alternatively, pour the batter into a jug to make it easier.
• Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes. To check they are cooked , insert a skewer in the centre of one of the cakes-it should come out clean. Leave the cakes in the tins for about 10 minutes before carefully placing on a wire rack to cool. Once they are completely cool, ice the cakes.
• In a large mixing bowl (I used a food processor) beat the butter, milk, vanilla extract and half the icing sugar until smooth. Gradually add the remainder of the icing sugar and beat again until the buttercream is smooth and creamy.
• If you want to add colour to your buttercream, always start with one drop of colouring and beat thoroughly. Add carefully drop by drop until you build up your desired shade.
• Pipe an icing swirl on top of each of the cakes and decorate with an icing daisy. I then used decorative cupcake wrappers for an attractive finish.
  

 

Gluten Free Pear and Almond Muffins

I have had a few people ask me recently for gluten or wheat free recipes. This recipe is free from both and is easy to make.

Recipe
Makes 12

Ingredients
200g gluten and wheat free self raising flour
200g ground almonds
2tsp gluten free baking powder
175g caster sugar
200ml sunflower oil
200ml milk
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
200g peeled, coredand chopped pear
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Handful of flaked almonds for decoration

• Preheat the oven to 190C or gas mark 5 and line a muffin tray with 12 muffin cases.
• Sift the flour and baking powder into a large bowl and stir in the ground almonds.
• Lightly whisk the eggs, oil and milk in a jug until combined and then add to the dry ingrdients. Mix briefly with a large wooden spoon then add the pear and vanilla extract. Mix again until everything is just mixed together.
• Spoon mixture into the muffin cases and sprinkle over the flaked almonds before baking.
• Bake in the oven for 25 minutes until well risen. Leave to cool in the muffin tray for a few minutes before transfering to a wire rack to cool.

Raspberry Cupcakes

These cakes are make with raspberry jam but I suppose you could use any jam of your choice. Hubbie reckons they are the best cakes I have ever made!!!

Recipe

Makes 12

Ingredients

110g unsalted butter, at room temperature

180g golden caster sugar

2 large eggs

125g self raising flour, sifted

120g plain flour, sifted

125 ml semi-skimmed milk, at room temperature

1 tsp vanilla extract

3 tbsp seedless raspberry jam

To Decorate

1 tsp raspberry jam, 1 for each cake, warmed slightly

250g icing sugar, sifted

80g unsalted butter, at room temperature

25ml milk

a few drops vanilla extract

12 raspberries

• Preheat oven to 180C or gas mark 4 and line a bun tray with 12 paper cases.
• In a large mixing bowl cream the butter and sugar until pale and smooth with an electric mixer. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing for a few minutes after each addition.
• Combine the two flours in a seperate bowl. Put the milk in a jug and add the vanilla extract to it. Add one third of the flours to the creamed mixture and beat well. Pour in one third of the milk and beat again. Repeat these steps until all the flour and milk have been added.
• Gently fold in the raspberry jam until most of it is combined.  You just want to have a few jam steaks running through the mixture. Carefully spoon the mixture into the cupcake cases and bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes until slightly raised and golden brown.
• Remove from oven and leave cakes in the tin for about 10 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before icing.
• Beat the icing sugar and butter together in a food processor or with an electric mixer. Add the vanilla extract to the milk and add to the creamed mixture a little at a time until all is completely mixed in. Continue beating for a little longer as icing will become fluffier.
• Once the cakes have cooled , cut a small hole in the centre of each cake using a sharp knife and fill will a teaspoon of jam.
• Ice the cakes with the buttercream and decorate with fresh raspberries.

Heart Cakes

Here is another Valentine idea for you. For this recipe I used a silicon heart shaped muffin tray with a basic vanilla sponge or you could just use normal cupcake cases. It is then up to you how you wish to decorate them. 

Recipe

Makes 12

Ingredients

125g soft margarine

125g golden caster sugar

125g self raising flour

2 medium eggs

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Decoration

100g red ready roll icing

100g white ready roll icing

Apricot glaze (or jam warmed slighty)

Sugar glue, water or buttercream (to stick decorations on)

• Preheat oven to 180C or gas mark 4. Grease your silicon cake tray with vegetable oil or line a bun tray with 12 paper cases.
• Put all ingredients in a bowl and beat together until smooth.
• Divide the mixture between the heart sections in your tray or cupcake cases, if using.
• Bake in the oven for about 15 minutes until springy to the touch. Once cooked leave in tray for 5 minutes before transfering to a wire rack. Leave to cool completely before decorating.
• Using a sharp knife, carefully slice the off the top of the cake to give a smooth flat surface.
• Lightly dust your working surface with some icing sugar and roll out your icing until about 4mm thick. Using a larger heart shaped cutter cut out 6 red and 6 white hearts.
• Brush the tops of your cakes with the warmed apricot glaze and then stick the heart icing on top. Finally, cut out some smaller hearts to decorate and stick on to the icing with sugar glue.

Shortbread Hearts

My hubbie bought me a selection of heart shaped baking cutters etc for our anniversary this week. So over the next few days I will be posting a few Valentine recipes.

Recipe
Makes about 15-20 depending on cutter size (I used 5cm cutter)

Ingredients
200g unsalted butter, softened
110g caster sugar
330g plain flour
1/2 tsp mixed spice
25g dark chocolate

• Put the butter and sugar into a mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.
• Sieve the flour and spice into the bowl and mix in with a wooden spoon. Bring the mixture together with your hands to make a ball of dough then wrap in clingfilm and put in the fridge to chill for 15-30 minutes.
• Meanwhile preheat oven to 180C or gas mark 4 and line 2 baking trays with greaseproof paper.
• Take the dough out of the fridge and roll out on a floured surface until it is about 8mm thick. Cut out the shapes and arrange on the baking trays leaving a gap inbetween them. Re-roll the trimmings and cut out more shapes.
• Bake for about 12-18 minutes until firm and pale in colour. Leave to cool on the trays for 5 minutes to firm up then transfer to a wire rack and leave to cool completely.
• Break the chocolate into a bowl and place over a pan of hot water until melted. Drizzle the chocolate over the shortbread using a piping bag with a very fine nozzle, a spoon or I used a great gadget my sister brought me for Christmas see link below. Leave for chocolate to set.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Lekue-Decopen-Assorted-Colours/dp/B0030BWRNE/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1296770217&sr=8-3

VW Camper Van Cake

It was my hubbie's birthday on Monday and I normally make him a birthday cake. As he is a massive camper van fan I thought I would have a go a making one. He was over the moon with the end result.

Instead of candles I used cake ice fountains which I have never used before. Result...impressive!!

Chocolate Chip Flapjacks

This recipe was a big hit with the hubbie and kids, no soon as I made them they were gone!

Recipe
Makes 12

Ingredients
150g unsalted butter
125g light brown muscovado sugar
2 tbsp golden syrup
200g jumbo porridge oats
a pinch of salt
75g chocolate chips

• Preheat the oven to 150C or gas mark 2 and grease a 20cm square tin.
• Put the butter, sugar and golden syrup into a pan large enough to hold all the ingredients. Heat gently, stirring from time to time, until the butter has melted.
• Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the oats and salt. Then add the chocolate chips.
• Transfer the mixture to the prepared tin and spread it out evenly. Use the back of a spoon to press down the mixture.
• Bake in the oven for 25 to 30 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from the oven and leave to cool for 10 minutes.
• Run a round - bladed knife around the inside of the tin to loosen the flapjack, then score into 12. Leave to cool before cutting into bars.
• Store in an airtight container.