Engagement Cupcakes

Exciting news! My colleague just got engaged!! Of course I had to make some cupcakes suitable for the occasion and am very pleased with how they turned out as are the prospective bride and groom! I went with plain vanilla mini cupcakes which I hand frosted and then used barbie glitter writing icing to write the message.

 Congratulations Libby & Simon!!  

 had to arrange the cakes pre-icing to make sure it fit and that I could spell! 

 i used pink frosting for the hearts 

For the vanilla cupcake (Recipe from the primrose bakery)
(Makes 22 mini cupcakes and 5 mini heart cupcakes as shown)
110g unsalted butter,at room temperature
225g golden caster sugar
2 large eggs
150g self-raising flour, sifted
125g plain flour, sifted
120ml semi-skimmed milk, at room temperature
1 teaspoon good quality vanilla extract

For the vanilla buttercream icing (I used half a recipe)
110g unsalted butter, at room temperature
60ml semi-skimmed milk, at room temperature
1 teaspoon good quality vanilla extract
500g icing sugar, sifted

• Preheat the oven to 180C.
• In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar until the mixture is pale and smooth. 
• Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing for a few minutes after each addition. 
• Combine the two flours in a separate 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. 
• Carefully spoon the mixture into cases, filling them about 2/3 full.
• Bake in the oven for about 25 minutes (regular size) or 15 minutes (mini size) until slightly raised and golden brown. 
• Remove from the oven and leave the cakes to cool.
• To make the icing, combine all ingredients and beat until smooth and creamy. 

Cranberry and Orange Cupcake with Orange Cream Cheese Frosting

I hope everyone had a good Christmas.  I certainly did! :) I did a fair bit of baking last week which I will aim to post over the next few days. I made Christmas cupcakes from the Primrose Bakery this time - Cranberry and orange. These were so good, I made them 3 times!

 chopped cranberries (I used a chopper the second time round) 

 add orange zest - lovely taste and smell! 

 i love the colour of fresh cranberries 

 fresh from the oven 

 topped with a fresh cranberry which everyone thought was a grape! 

For the cupcake

Makes ~15

2 large eggs

200g caster sugar

100g corn oil

135ml sour cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Grated zest of 1 orange (you need 1 teaspoon but I used the whole orange!)

228g plain flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

140g fresh or frozen cranberries, finely chopped

For the orange cream cheese frosting

175g cream cheese

450g icing sugar, sifted

125g unsalted butter, at room temperature

Grated zest of 1 orange

• Preheat the oven to 180C.
• In a large mixing bowl beat the eggs and sugar together until light and fluffy.
• Slowly pour in the oil, a little at a time, beating well after each addition, then repeat the process with the sour cream and vanilla extract, making sure everything is well combined, and incorporate the orange zest at the end.
• Sift the dry ingredients together in a bowl and then add to the batter and beat well. 
• Finally, fold in the cranberries gently. 
• Carefully spoon the mixture into the cupcake cases, filling them to about 2/3 full. 
• Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until slightly raised and golden brown. 
• Allow to cool in their tins for 10 minutes before turning out on to a wire rack to cool completely. 
• To make the icing, place all the ingredients in a mixing bowl and beat until thoroughly combined and the icing is smooth and pale. 

Chocolate Mint Cupcakes

My friend decided to host a James Bond themed party for her birthday this year. I decided I would make dessert as a surprise. (what else would you expect from me, right?) I knew I wanted to make cupcakes but couldn't decide on the flavour. I have tried cocktail cupcakes previously and they have not been very successful. I thought about black forest cupcakes but in the end decided to make chocolate mint cupcakes. I used my favourite chocolate cupcake recipe from the Primrose Bakery and added some peppermint extract. The cake was really light and spongy with a lovely, refreshing  minty taste. Definitely a hit at the party! I also ordered these really cute personalised cupcake toppers from ebay and some poker chip toppers as well. I had some difficulty removing the toppers so excuse the torn edges!

Special thanks to Caroline who kindly lent me her cake stand and cookie cutters (martini shaped cookies coming up in the next post)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHARLOTTE!! 

 adding chocolate to creamed butter and sugar 

egg whites 

 delicious cake batter 

 ready to go in the oven 

 

For the cupcakes
(Makes 15 cupcakes)

115g good quality dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids) 

85g unsalted butter, at room temperature

175g soft brown sugar

2 large eggs, free range or organic, separated

185g plain flour, sifted

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

3/4 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

pinch of salt

250ml semi-skimmed milk, at room temperature

1 teaspoon good quality vanilla extract

2 teaspoons peppermint extract 

• Preheat the oven to 170C
• Break the chocolate into pieces and melt (In a microwave or in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water).
• Stir occasionally 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 hand 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. 
• Next, add the melted chocolate to the mixture and beat well. 
• Combine the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt in a separate bowl. 
• Put the milk in a jug and add the vanilla extract to it.
• 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. 
• Add in the peppermint extract. 
• In a clean bowl, whisk the egg whites until soft peaks start to form. 
• Carefully add the egg whites into the batter, using a 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.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. 
• Remove from the oven and leave the cakes in their tins for about 10 minutes before carefully placing on a wire rack to cool.
• Once they are completely cool, ice the cupcakes with buttercream icing.

Peppermint Buttercream Icing

110g unsalted butter,at room temperature

60ml semi-skimmed milk, at room temperature

1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract (adjust to taste - I used 1 teaspoon)

500g icing sugar, sifted

• In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter, milk, peppermint 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. 
• Taste the icing at this stage to see if you want to add more peppermint extract. 

Strawberries and Cream Cupcakes

I changed jobs last week and I debated for ages about what to make for my last day at work. Having baked various things all year, it was difficult to decide what would be an extra special effort. So I decided on a giant cupcake as well as regular and mini cupcakes.  I was really excited to try out my new giant cupcake mould which I got as a birthday present this year. Thank you Wendy for my amazing gift!!

This recipe is from 'Cupcakes from the Primrose Bakery' - I think I've tried almost every recipe in this book! I know strawberries are slightly out of season but I do love them and thought it would be a nice flavour to make. I wanted something a little different to vanilla or chocolate.

This is the first time I've used the giant cupcake mould so I was unsure how much cake batter to make. I made a double recipe to be on the safe side and it turned out to be way too much as I made 12 regular sized and 10 mini cupcakes as well. They were all eaten so there was no wastage :)

The giant mould was easy to use. I didn't spray it with non stick cooking oil which I should have as some of the cake stuck to the mould. I will remember that for next time. Decorating it was a little tricky as the icing kept falling off at the bottom as it was too heavy. I might try piping little stars all around next time. Has anyone else tried using the giant cupcake mould? Any tips on decorating?

I am very pleased with the final result as was everyone else. I think it looks great with the mini cupcakes around it. I'll definitely be using this mould again so watch out for different flavours and decorating ideas :)

my lovely present :) 

size comparison with a regular cupcake case 

adding strawberries to the mix 

filling the moulds 

using the insert which creates a cavity to fill the cake with whatever filling you fancy 

this is how it turns out 

i put strawberry jam and some icing around the edges to 'stick' the cake together 

final result 

with icing, sprinkles and a strawberry on top! 

mini cupcakes 

regular sized cupcakes 

cross section of the cake 

Strawberries and Cream Cupcakes 

225g caster sugar

210g self raising flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

25g cornflour 

125g fresh, ripe strawberries, hulled and crushed 

225g unsalted butter, at room temperature

4 large eggs

• Preheat the oven to 160C.
• Cream the butter and sugar then beat in the eggs, one by one. 
• Add the remaining ingredients and beat well together. 
• Carefully spoon the mixture into the cupcake cases, filling them to about 2/3 full. 
• Bake in the oven for about 25 minutes.
• The cakes will be fairly moist even when cooked. 
• Remove from the oven and leave in their tins for about 10 minutes before placing on a wire rack to cool. 
• Once completely cool, carefully make a small hole in the centre of each cupcake and use a teaspoon to push strawberry jam into the hole - you can slightly warm the jam in a saucepan first to soften it before pushing it into the sponge. 
• Decorate the cupcakes with vanilla buttercream icing and just before serving, place a fresh strawberry in the centre.

Vanilla Buttercream Icing 

110g unsalted butter,at room temperature

60ml semi-skimmed milk, at room temperature

1 teaspoon good quality vanilla extract

500g icing sugar, sifted

• To make the icing, 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.

Coffee and Walnut Cake

It's been a while since I've baked anything as I've been really busy lately. I decided on this delightful coffee and walnut cake from the primrose bakery book.  I don't like to drink coffee but I like coffee flavoured cakes, ice-cream or chocolate. The cake turned out very light and spongy with a delicious aroma of coffee. In fact my cake was a little too soft and it fell apart a little. Good thing I could cover it up with the icing! It still tasted very good and I would definitely make this again. 

adding coffee and walnuts 

ready to go in the oven

straight from the oven 

adding coffee syrup 

cover with coffee buttercream icing 

decorate with walnuts, I added crushed walnuts as well. 

Recipe from 'cupcakes from the primrose bakery'

For the cake

175g unsalted butter

175g golden caster sugar

3 large eggs, free-range or organic

175g self-raising flour, sifted

1.5 teaspoons baking powder

75g walnuts

1.5 teaspoons instant coffee mixed with 2 tablespoons boiling water

For the syrup

1 tablespoon instant coffee

50g demerara sugar

55ml boiling water

For the coffee buttercream icing (you need 1.5 batches) 

150g unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 tablespoon semi-skimmed milk, at room temperature

2 teaspoons instant espresso powder, dissolved in a small amount of hot water

350g icing sugar, sifted

• Preheat the oven to 170 C.
• Grease and line two 20cm cake tins.
• In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar until the mixture is pale and smooth, which should take 3-5 minutes using an electric hand mixer. 
• Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing for a few minutes after each addition. 
• Add the flour and baking powder and beat well. 
• Grind the walnuts in a food processor for about 30 seconds or so - they should not be too fine. 
• Add the coffee and ground walnuts to the batter and mix again but for no more than 3-4 seconds. 
• The mixture should have a marbled effect and it is very important not to overmix or you will take all the air out of the cakes. 
• Divide the mixture evenly between the tins and bake in the oven for about 25 minutes until raised and golden brown.
• Insert a skewer in the centre of one of the cakes - it should come out clean if it is cooked. 
• Remove from the oven and let the cakes cool in their tins. 
• Make up the syrup by combining the ingredients in a jug and stirring well to ensure the sugar dissolves completely. 
• After 10-15 minutes, prick the sponges with a fork, brush on the syrup and leave it to soak in. 
• When you are ready to ice the cakes, carefully turn them out of their tins and peel the greaseproof paper from the bases. 
• Place one cake on a plate and spread a thin layer of coffee buttercream over it. 
• Place the second cake on top and use the rest of the buttercream to cover the upper surface. 
• Decorate with walnut halves around the edge. 

Lemon Layer Cake

It was my birthday earlier this week and I debated what to make as a birthday cake for work. I wanted to make something 'wow' and thought about a red velvet cake or a chocolate cake (always a favourite). I'd already made hummingbird cake and carrot cake earlier this year. In the end, I settled for a simple yet delicious lemon cake - another favourite flavour. Sometimes simple is best. The cake rose beautifully and it tasted light and citrusy. Definitely one to make again and again. 

cake mix 

Do you like my decorations? :) 

For the cake

225g golden caster sugar

225g self-raising flour, sifted

1.5 teaspoons baking powder

25g cornflour

225g unsalted butter, at room temperature

4 large eggs

grated zest and juice of 2 large juicy lemons (otherwise use 3 lemons) 

Lemon Buttercream icing

110g unsalted butter

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

Grated zest of 1-2 unwaxed lemons (you need 2 teaspoons) 

500g icing sugar, sifted

• Preheat the oven to 170c.
• Grease and line two 20cm cake tins.
• Cream the butter and sugar in a bowl until the mixture is smooth and pale.
• Combine the dry ingredients in a separate bowl.
• Add the eggs to the creamed mixture, one at a time, mixing for a few minutes after each addition, alternating the dry ingredients, and finally the grated zest and lemon juice. 
• Beat well after each addition, but again do not overbeat. 
• Divide the mixture evenly between the tins and bake in the oven for about 25 minutes until raised and golden brown. 
• Insert a skewer into the centre of one of those cakes - it should come out clean if it is cooked. 
• Remove from the oven and leave the cakes in their tins for about 10 minutes before turning out on to a wire rack to cool. 
• Peel the greaseproof paper from the bases of the cakes. 
• Once they are cool, sandwich the layers together with lemon buttercream icing and cover the top of the cake with more.
• Decorate with sugared lemon slices or sugar flowers or both.