Thursday 10 January 2008

Basic Coconut Cake

4oz butter
4oz caster sugar
2 large eggs
6oz self raising flour
2oz desicated coconut
Approx 2 tablespoons of milk

Cream butter & sugar till soft and pale, beat eggs and add to mixture. Gradually fold in coconut, then flour. Add milk to give soft dropping consistency. Sprinkle top of cakes with coconut and caster sugar and bake at 180 degrees for 16-18 minutes.

Tuesday 20 November 2007

Caramel Glazed Apple Spice Cupcakes

6 tbsp butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1 1/2 cups applesauce
3/4 cup chopped, toasted pecans (optional)

Preheat oven to 180c. Line two 12-cup muffin tins with paper liners.In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugars until lght and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time, followed by vanilla extract.In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and spices. Add one third of this mixture to the butter mixture, stirring to incorporate, followed by half of the applesauce. Repeat with the rest of the flour and applesauce and mix only until no streaks of flour remain in the batter. Stir in pecans, if using.Divide evenly into prepared muffin cups, filling each about 2/3 full.Bake for 15-18 minutes, until the muffins spring back when lightly pressed and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.Remove from pan and cool on a wire rack.

Makes 24 cupcakes.

Caramel Glaze
2 tbsp butter
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup milk
1/4 salt
2 1/2 cups caster sugar

Melt butter in a small saucepan. Stir in brown sugar, milk and salt. Bring to a boil and boil for about two minutes. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature. Stir in powdered sugar. Frosting should be somewhat thick, but not stiff. Drizzle over cupcakes.

from http://bakingbites.com/2007/11/caramel-glazed-apple-spice-cupcakes/

Lavender Cupcakes

125g self-raising flour
125g very soft unsalted butter
125g lavender sugar, sieved
2 eggs
pinch salt
few tablespoons milk

FOR THE ICING:
250g Instant Royal Icing powder
violet food colouring paste
handful real lavender stalks

Preheat the oven to 200ÂșC/gas mark 6 and line a 12-bun cupcake or muffin tin with paper cases.

Take butter, eggs and milk out of the fridge in time to make sure they're at room temperature. Mix all the ingredients for the cupcakes, except for the milk, till totally combined. Process again, adding enough milk to make a batter with a smooth, flowing texture, then spoon and scrape the batter equally into the waiting cupcake cases.

Bake for about 20 minutes, by which time the sponge should be cooked through and springy to the touch. Remove from the oven, leave for 5 minutes or so, then arrange the cupcakes in their paper cases on a wire rack to cool. Make the icing according to packet instructions, dyeing the mixture a faint lilac with a spot or two of food colouring.

Top each cupcake with a little sprig of lavender before the icing's set dry.

Thursday 4 October 2007

Chocolate Mint Cupcakes

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup (2 ounces) unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped, melted
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon peppermint extract
1/2 cup chocolate milk
1 1/2 cups self raising flour
1/2 cup (6 ounces) mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat the oven to 175°F. Insert liners into a medium cupcake pan.2. In a large bowl cream together the butter and sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, 3-5 minutes. Beat the melted chocolate into the butter mixture. Add the eggs, peppermint extract, and chocolate milk. Beat until creamy.3. In a separate medium-sized bowl combine the flour and baking soda.4. Add the dry ingredients to the chocolate mixture and beat until well blended (DO NOT OVER BEAT). With a rubber spatula, stir in the chocolate chips.5. Fill the cupcake liners 2/3-3/4 full. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool cupcakes in pan.

Mint Swiss Meringue Buttercream (recipe adapted from marthastewart.com)Makes about 3 cups3 egg whites3/4 cup granulated sugar1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature1 teaspoon peppermint extract1. Put egg whites and sugar in a double boiler over simmering water. Whisking constantly, cook until sugar has dissolved and mixture is warm (about 160 degrees).2. Pour heated egg mixture into a clean bowl of a mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat egg white mixture on high speed until it forms stiff (but not dry) peaks. Continue beating until fluffy and cooled, about 6 minutes (It's very important to beat it for the whole 6 minutes).3. Switch to the paddle attachment. With mixer on medium-low, add butter several tablespoons at a time, beating well after each addition. (If frosting appears soupy or separated after all butter has been added, beat on medium-high speed until smooth again, 3 to 5 minutes more.)4. Beat in peppermint extract. Reduce speed to low; beat 2 minutes to eliminate air bubbles. Stir with a rubber spatula until smooth.

Tuesday 2 October 2007

Choclate Vegan Cupcakes

1 cup plain flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder
3 Tablespoons black cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup plain rice or soymilk
1/4 cup canola oil
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

preheat the oven to 175 and line a 12-muffin tin with paper cupcake liners. spray with the liners with canola spray to prevent sticking. sift together the flour, cocoa powders, baking powder, baking soda and salt. in another bowl combine the rice milk, oil, maple syrup, sugar, vinegar and vanilla. beat at medium speed for about two minues. add the dry ingredients to the wet and beat for about another minute to combine. fill each cupcake liner about 2/3 full and bake for about 25-30 minutes. remove from oven and allow to fully cool.

Wednesday 26 September 2007

White Chocolate & Pumpkin Cupcakes

6 oz. white chocolate, melted
Spoon melted white chocolate into 6 cupcake liners (doubled) spreading up sides with a pastry brush or small spoon. Place upside down on wax paper and allow to set. Carefully peel away the liners.


CUPCAKES
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
2/3 cup cooking oil
2 eggs, slightly beaten
3/4 cup canned pumpkin
In a large bowl, combine dry ingredients. Stir together eggs, oil and pumpkin in another bowl. Add pumpkin mixture to dry mixture and stir just until thoroughly mixed. Spoon batter into popover pan coated with nonstick cooking spray. Bake 25 to 27 minutes. Let cool in pan, then remove to cool on wire rack.


FROSTING
2 oz. white chocolate, chopped
1 1/2 cups whipping cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 egg yolks, slightly beaten
2/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup butter


In a medium saucepan, stir together sugar, flour and salt. Gradually stir in cream. Add chopped chocolate. Stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Reduce heat. Cook and stir for 2 minutes more. Remove from heat and gradually stir about 1 cup of the hot filling into the beaten egg yolks. Return mixture to remaining filling in the saucepan. Bring to a gentle boil. Cook and stir 2 minutes more. Remove from heat. Cover and chill in freezer until cold (about 20 minutes). In medium mixing bowl beat butter until creamy. Gradually add chilled filling, beating until light and creamy. Beat in vanilla.
Spread 1 teaspoon of frosting in bottom of each cup. Top cakes generously with frosting. Place each cake in white chocolate cup.

from ABC

Friday 21 September 2007

Castle Cupcake Tutorial














from the amazing Zalita. You can see the finished Castle cupcake here:

You will need 1 thick rectangular base for the castle no1, 2 rectangular flat pcs with little slits (2&3) on the top and markings for the windows, a long rolled out 'log' to which u will then cut out to make (4,6,&8) , 2 thin strips with small slits on the top to make (5&7), and a little triangular pc for the roof (9). i have forgotten to add a number by the door which u will stick last onto the front of the castle.once u have cut out these pcs stick onto the base no's 2 and 3, it will over lap a little on the top.wrap no 5 around 4 and do the same with no 6 and 7 and stick onto the side of the castle base with some edible glue.stick no's 8 and 9 and place on top of the castle.lastly add the door.i added a touch of grey to my fondant and i brushed it with pearl and soft rose pink. u can choose your own colours and adapt it to your own specifications.


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