Margarita cupcakes with a Lime glaze.

Boozy cupcakes for adults, had fun making these.
Taken and adapted from an American lass called Gail Wagman.

You will need..
150gms S.R. Flour. (sifted)
125gms unsalted Butter (room temp)
150gms Sugar.
3 Eggs.
1 tablespoon finely grated Lime rind.
2 tablespoons Tequila.


Lime Glaze
2 tablespoons fresh Lime juice.
150gms Icing Sugar.
1 tablespoon Tequila.
Green food colouring.
Coarse Salt and Lime slices for decoration.


Method....
Preheat oven to 180c
Cream the butter and sugar until very pale and fluffy.
Add eggs, 1 at a time and beating well each time.
Add the lime rind and Tequila.
Fold in the flour until it is all absorbed.
Fill the cupcake cases 1/2 full or a little over. (We need room to put the glaze on later)
Place the cupcake trays in the oven for 20-25 minutes, when touched they should spring back.
Allow to cool, while you make the glaze.


In a bowl, put the icing sugar, lime juice and Tequila and mix until totally smooth. Now add the green food colouring to the desired green and mix well.
Spoon over the cupcakes and smooth a little. This will level out itself in a few minutes.
Decorate with lime slices and a straw for fun. Sprinkle the coarse salt over the top, not too much now.
Makes between 15-18 cupcakes (depending on their size)

Carrot cake cupcakes

These are so delicious, when I first made them last week, I took the smallest bite just to taste and then like a starving teenager rammed the rest in my mouth.
Leave out the nuts if you wish, but I think adding the sultanas is a must. They go so well with the sweetness of the carrot.

Ingredients..
2 cups S.R. Flour.
1/2 teaspoon of Salt.
2 teaspoons Ground Cinnamon.
4 large Eggs.
1 cup white Sugar (or Raw sugar)
1 cup Rice Bran Oil. (or Canola)
2 cups raw Carrots (finely grated)
1 cup Granny Smith's Apple (finely grated)
1 cup Walnuts (chopped, saving some for the top)
1 cup Sultanas.

For the Cream cheese icing..
1/2 cup Butter (room temperature)
1 pack of Cream Cheese (room temperature)
3 cups of Icing Sugar (sifted)
2 teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract.

Method..
Preheat oven to 180c and use the middle rack in the oven. Put papers in 24 muffin cups.
In one bowl sift the flour, salt and cinnamon together, then set aside.
In another bowl whisk together the eggs,sugar and oil until slightly thickened. Fold in the flour mix into the egg mix, then fold in grated carrots, grated apple, chopped nuts and sultanas. Divide mix between the 24 cases and bake in the oven for 20 minutes or until skewer comes out clean. Allow to cool.
Meanwhile, make the cream cheese icing.
Mix the butter and cheese together with a hand held mixer until combined. Add the vanilla extract and mix again. Slowly add the icing sugar mixing the whole time so it stays smooth.
When cakes have cooled, top each one with the cream cheese icing, decorate with the left over walnuts and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar if you desire.
Now see if you can fit a whole one in your mouth!!!!
Enjoy.

More cupcakes

Same recipe used here as before (see labels) but with cocoa and/or coffee added.

Cupcakes fit for a princess.

It was my grand daughter's birthday recently and I made her these cupcakes. Also found these delightful cupcake wrappers which I was dying to use, so........

Ingredients..

125g Butter (unsalted)

155g Castor sugar.

2 Eggs (lightly beaten together)

225g S.R. Flour. (Sifted twice)

125ml Milk.

Vanilla essence or strawberry food flavouring.

For the icing..

250g Butter (unsalted)

400g Icing sugar.

Colouring of your choice. (I used paste Grape Violet and Rose Pink)

Method..

Preheat oven to 180c. Line a cupcake tray with cupcake cases (makes 20)

Using an electric mixer, beat together the cream and sugar until very light and creamy. Add the eggs a little at a time, beating well between each addition. Now fold in the flour, flavouring and the milk until just combined. Do not over work the flour.

Spoon in to the prepared cases and bake in the oven for 15 minutes, or until the skewer comes out clean. Set a side to cool while you make the icing.

Put the butter in to the bowl of the electric mixer, and beat for at least 10 minutes, scrapping down the sides every now and then. The longer you do this, the paler the butter becomes. Almost white. Still using the mixer, add the icing sugar a bit at a time until smooth, then add your colouring. Put the icing mix in to a piping bag and just start making your pretty designs on the top of each cupcake.

Lastly, decorate with sprinkles, little marshmallows or flowers and birds, all edible.

Have fun!

Fluffy Coconut Cupcakes.

Oh so pretty and very yummy too. Ingredients......

125gs Butter (softened)
1 cup Castor Sugar.
3 Eggs.
1 teaspoon Coconut Extract.
11/2 cups Plain Flour.
1 teaspoon Baking Powder.
3/4 cup Milk.
1/2 cup Coconut Flakes.

Method.......

Makes 12 muffin size or 24 cupcake size.
Preheat oven to 180c. Prepare cupcake tray with cases.
Beat butter with electric mixer until pale and creamy. Add sugar 1/3 at a time, mixing well each time. Add eggs one at a time as well, mixing well between additions. Now add the Coconut extract.
Sift the flour and baking powder and add half to butter mixture with the milk, mix until combined. Repeat with remaining flour and milk. Stir in the coconut flakes. Place mixture in to the prepared cases and bake in the oven for 15 minutes for cupcakes and 20-25 for muffins.
Allow to cool while you make the icing.

Icing.......
1 jar of FLUFF (see picture below)
120gs softened Butter.
200gs Icing Sugar.
Beat with your electric mixer and make the butter really soft and creamy, add the jar of FLUFF, a little of the food colouring of your choice, mix, and then start adding the icing sugar until you have the right texture for YOU.
Spread or pipe on to the cupcakes and decorate to suit you. I used more coconut flakes and assorted other things too.

FLUFF, had never heard of it, until someone on one of the forums I belong to, mentioned it. Then I had to get some, made in the U.S.A. Here is a link that you might like to take a look at.
http://whatscookingamerica.net/History/FluffernutterSandwich.htm
I do hope you can get some, which ever country you live in. It is a MUST.

Spiced Apple Cupcakes

I used a basic Butter cake recipe here, as I wanted the rich flavour. And these are really delightful with a touch of mixed spice and the apple centre.

Ingredients..

185g Butter (softened)
1 cup Caster Sugar.
1 teaspoon Vanilla Essence.
3 large Eggs.
2 cups S.R. Flour (sifted)
1 teaspoon Mixed Spice.
1/4 cup Milk.
2 Apples (peeled, cored, sliced and cooked)

Method..

Preheat the oven to 180c and prepare 12 paper cases in a cupcake tray.
In a large bowl, beat the butter, sugar and vanilla together with an electric mixer until light and creamy.
Add the eggs one at a time and mix well between each one.
Add the spice to the sifted flour and add to the mix a little at a time, in between the flour add the milk. Stir in lightly.
Spoon a little into each paper case and then place your apple in the middle. Now top with the remaining mix and finish off with a dusting of Cinnamon sugar. Place in the oven for 25 minutes or until the skewer comes out clean. Allow to cool and then enjoy.
The plate and teapot used in this photograph, was given to me by a neighbour a few years ago. They were married for 60 years and this was their tea and dinner set. Called *Cream Petal* made by Grindley in England. Some of the gold edging has been rubbed off now, but I love it.

Chocolate Cupcakes with Mint Butter Icing.

These were made yesterday specially for St. Patrick's Day. I think on this day, we all have a touch of the Irish in us. A large Guinness was drunk by my hubby and Colcannon was served with sausages for dinner.
These chocolate cupcakes were had after that.

Ingredients.
2 cups S.R. Flour. (Minus 2 tablespoons)
3/4 cup Castor Sugar.
2 Eggs.
3/4 cup of Milk.
1/2 cup softened Butter.
2 tablespoons Cocoa Powder.
1/2 cup good quality Chocolate. (Grated)

Method.
Cream the sugar and butter together, add eggs and mix again.Now put in the milk and mix a little and then slowly,a little at a time, add the flour and cocoa which you have sifted together. Lastly, add the grated chocolate and stir in. I used my hand held mixer for the creaming and adding the milk. Then switched to a wooden spoon for the folding in of the flour.
Place mix into cupcake cases and cook in the oven for 20-25 minutes at 170c
When the cupcakes are cooled, top with your favourite butter icing. To mine I added 1 cap full of Peppermint essence and 1 cap full of green food colouring. Then dressed them with grated chocolate, After Dinner Mints and Mint Aero. I made 18 cupcakes with this recipe.

Brandy Cupcakes

Delightful little cakes.
You will need..

2 Eggs.
110g Castor Sugar.
60g Butter, melted and cooled.
1 tablespoon Brandy.
100g Plain Flour.
1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder.
40g Currants or Sultanas. (I used currants)

For the Syrup..

110g Castor Sugar.
125mls Water.
1 tablespoon Brandy.

Method

Syrup.
Combine sugar and water in a small saucepan, stir over low heat until sugar has dissolved. Bring to the boil and boil for two minutes, cool and then add brandy. Now set aside for later.
Preheat oven to 180c.
Beat the eggs until really fluffy, gradually add the sugar, beating until light and thick.
Fold in the melted butter, brandy, sifted flour and baking powder and last, the currants.
Divide mix between 12 cupcake cases in tin.
Bake for about 12-15 minutes or until golden brown in colour.
Take out of the oven and brush tops of cupcakes with the brandy syrup, while still hot.
Allow to cool on a wire rack. Can be eaten straight or served with cream or ice-cream.

The birthday cake.

As promised on the 30th October, the birthday cake.
Inspiration for this came from Vicky over on http://ahealthyappetite.blogspot.com
Vicky had made a Simple Chocolate Cake that she used from http://www.easylivingmagazine.com/Food/Recipes/ChocolateCake/Default.aspx

I doubled all ingredients and used butter not margarine.



Here is the original recipe.

175g (6oz) margarine or softened butter
175g (6oz) caster sugar
3 large eggs
150g (5oz) self-raising flour, sifted
50g (1¾oz) of cocoa, sifted
1tsp baking powder
1tsp vanilla extract
pinch of salt



For simple chocolate icing
100g (3½oz) of dark chocolate
100g (3½oz) of chopped butter


1. Heat the oven to 180C (gas mark 4). Lightly grease an 18cm (7in) round cake tin with a little extra butter or margarine and cut a piece of greaseproof paper or non-stick baking parchment to fit the base of the tin. I greased mine with butter and then sprinkled cocoa powder into it to give it a nice chocolaty edge.
2. Put all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl and beat with a wooden spoon or a hand-held mixer for 1 minute, or until just combined. It's important not to beat the batter too much just long enough to make it smooth.
3. Pour or spoon the mixture into the tin, smooth the top and bake on the middle shelf of the oven for about 45-50 minutes. The cake is cooked when it looks well risen and golden; the top should spring back when lightly touched with a fingertip. Another test is to insert a skewer into the centre of the cake - it should come out clean.
4. Let the cake sit in the tin for 5 minutes, then gently run a knife around the edge and turn the cake out onto a wire rack to cool.



Because I doubled everything, I used a bigger tin (24cm or 9 inches) and made 10 cupcakes as well. The cupcakes of course, cooked in 20 minutes and the cake took 50 minutes.

For the icing, I wanted something a little bit special, so I sort of made it up as I went.

I bar of Lindt (80% cocoa) milk chocolate.
200gms of softened butter.
3 cups (maybe more) Icing sugar (sifted)
A good slurp or two of Tia Maria.

Melt chocolate over simmering water on stove. Soften butter in microwave, pour chocolate into the butter and add the icing sugar, mix well. This is where you add the Tia Maria too loosen it a little. (If needed) If not, drink the Tia Maria. (HIC)

Spread on to the cooled cake.

I then melted dark Lindt chocolate and dipped the strawberries in, to decorate the cake. (And cupcakes)
Opppps!! I forgot to say. I cut the cake, once cooled and spread strawberry jam to sandwich the two together. (Use a good quality jam with whole strawberries in)
Chocolate and strawberries together, my son's two favorite foods.

Happy Birthday to Charles

A very HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my dear son CHARLES. 32 years old today.
Chocolate sponge cake sandwiched together with strawberry jam, with a Tia Maria and Lindt chocolate fudge icing, and decorated with strawberries dipped in yet more Lindt chocolate.

A little too much mix was made for the tin used, so knocked up some cupcakes to give to the young children.

I promise to put the recipe up later, but just wanted to get this done for now, on his birth day.

Lemon Butterfly Cakes

Cakes:

2 cups S.R. Flour.
3/4 cup Castor Sugar.
2 Eggs.
3/4 cup of Milk.
1/2 cup softened Butter.

2 teasps of Lemon zest.

Fillings:

Lemon curd.

Raspberry jam.

Marmalade.

To finish:

Icing sugar.
Lemon jelly sweets.

Small M & M's.

Method:

Cream the sugar and butter together, add eggs and mix again.
Now put in the milk and mix a little and then slowly,
a little at a time, add the flour. I used my hand held mixer.

Stir in the lemon zest with a spoon.
Place mix into cupcake cases and cook in the oven for
20-25 minutes at 170c

Allow to cool before doing next step.

With a sharp pointed knife, cut out a circle

but not too deep. Cut the circle in half to form

the wings.

Fill the hole with Lemon Butter or as I did, some

raspberry jam and some with marmalade.

Place the wings, and dust with icing sugar.

Now add your decorations.

Done. Enjoy.

Pineapple and Coconut Cupcakes.

The basic recipe first....

2 cups S.R. Flour.

3/4 cup Castor Sugar.

2 Eggs.

3/4 cup of Milk.

1/2 cup softened Butter.

Method.

Cream the sugar and butter together, add eggs and mix again.

Now put in the milk and mix a little and then slowly,

a little at a time, add the flour. I used my hand held mixer, but

you could use a wooden spoon or a Kenwood/K.A.

Place mix into cupcake cases and cook in the oven for

20-25 minutes at 170c

To make the Pineapple and Coconut Cupcakes, I did this.

Changed the milk to Coconut milk.

Added tiny pieces of Pineapple to the mix before going in the oven.

The Icing.

1 pack Philly Cheese (at room temp)

1 1/2 cups Icing Sugar.

2 tablespoons of Pineapple Juice. (Maybe a wee bit more if needed)

Mix the Cheese and juice together, then add the icing sugar,

again, a little at a time.

When the cakes have cooled, ice them and sprinkle Coconut flakes

over the icing and top with a piece of pineapple.