Fairy Cupcakes

More a kind of regular bun that you made as a kid...

Ingredients (makes 16):

115g unsalted butter
115g caster sugar
2 eggs, beaten
115g self raising flour

for the topping:

200g icing sugar
2tbsp warm water
A few drops of food colouring (optional)
Sprinkles/cherries/sugarflowers (whatever takes your fancy for decorating)

How to:

• Preheat oven to 190c/375f/Gas Mark 5.
• Place the butter and caster sugar in a large bowl and cream together until pale and fluffy.
• Gradually add the eggs, beating well after each addition.
• Fold in the flour lightly using a metal spoon.
• Spoon the mixture into paper cases and bake for 15-20 minutes.
• Leave to cool on a wire rack.

For the topping:

• Sift the icing sugar into a bowl.
• Stir enough water to mix to a smooth paste that is thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon.
• Stir in a few drops of food colouring (if using).
• Spread the icing over the fairy cakes and decorate as desired.

What I learned:

• Cooked for 12 mins this time, and although fine on top, the cupcakes were still a bit dark on the bottom
• Still not mastered the craft of "smooth" icing.
• I think I used too much icing on the first few cakes as I only had enough for 12. I topped the last 4 with Jam
• Get the sprinkles on right away while the icing is still sticky!

Feedback:
"They look too cute to eat!"

Weight Watchers points: 5.

Poppy Seed & Orange Cupcakes

This weeks recipe is once again from I love cupcakes. I'm not a fan of orangey stuff, but its good to try something different.

Ingredients (makes 12):

2 tbsp poppy seeds
2 tbsp hot milk
85g butter, softened
85g caster sugar
finely grated rind of 1/2 orange
1 large egg, lightly beaten
100g self-raising flour

for the topping:

85g butter, softened
finely grated rind of 1/2 orange
175g icing sugar
1-2 tbsp orange juice

How to:

• Preheat oven to 180c/350f/Gas Mark 4.
• Place the poppy seeds and milk in a small bowl and set aside for 10 minutes (This is the first time I read this instruction,  not sure of its importance).
• Put the butter, sugar and orange rind in a bowl and beat until fluffy.
• Gradually beat in the egg.
• Sift in the flour and, using a metal spoon, fold gently into the mixture with the poppy seeds and milk.
• Spoon the mixture into paper cases.
• Bake for 20 mins or until risen and golden brown.
• Transfer to wire rack and leave to cool.

For the topping:

• Put the butter and orange rind in a bowl and beat until fluffy.
• Gradually beat in the icing sugar and enough orange juice to make a smooth and creamy icing.
• Swirl the icing over the top of the cupcakes.

What I learned:

• This time, I used the bottom heat only on my oven, and gave the cupcakes 15, not 20 mins. They probably would have been fine at 12.
• I am not very good with icing sugar, the topping is still a little 'gritty' (any hints and tips are welcome).
• My baby knife is pretty useful for spreading the icing on top of the cakes. I've bought an icing bag since, so prepare for some, erm... interesting shapes in future....

Ahhhhhh ready just in time for a nice cup of tea and a sit down

Feedback:
I enjoyed, although the bottom still seemed a little overdone. I'll update after I have shared the rest at work and received the general consensus.


Weight Watchers points: 6.

Pink & White Cupcakes

The first recipe of my Cupcake Challenge is from a book which my Mum bought for me from Next. It's called I love cupcakes, which I do!

The topping for this is less like frosting and more like Meringue, but it gets the thumbs up from my man :]

Ingredients (makes 16):

115g self-raising flour

1tsp baking powder

115g butter, softened

115g caster sugar

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1tbsp milk

few drops red food colouring 

for the topping:

1 egg white

175g caster sugar

2tbsp hot water

large pinch of cream of tartar

2 tbsp rasberry jam

3tbsp desiccated coconut lightly toasted

How to:

• Preheat oven to 180c/350f/Gas Mark 4.
• Sift the flour and baking powder into a bowl.
• Add the butter, sugar and eggs, and beat together using an electric hand whisk until smooth.
• Mix together the milk and food colouring and whisk into the mixture until evenly blended.
• Spoon the mixture into paper cases.
• Bake for 20 mins or until risen and golden brown.
• Transfer to wire rack and leave to cool.

For the topping:

• Put the egg white, sugar, water and cream of tartar in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water.
• Using an electric hand whisk, beat for 5-6 minutes until the mixture is thick and softly peaks when the whisk is lifted.
• Spread a layer of rasberry jam over each cupcake then swirl over the frosting
• Sprinkle with the toasted coconut

What I learned:

• I am still getting to grips with my oven, cakes take twice as long as they should, but the cupcakes cooked double quick, and then burned a little, which really annoyed me!! So, the only person judging this batch, will be Dave.
• I have lost one of my electric whisk whisks, it still works with one, but it creates lots of splatters, and took forever to get the topping to peak in the pan.
• 4 big drops of food colouring wasn't enough, couldn't even tell the cakes were supposed to be pink.
• I'd use less sugar in the topping, it looked a lot at the time, and didn't dissolve very well.
• Wait for the topping to cool a bit before adding it on top of the jam, to stop it running off everywhere.

Feedback:

A nice combination, even though they're a little burned.

So I decided to blog!

A few weeks ago I was sat staring at my bookshelf and contemplating all the recipe books I own. I'm very proud of my recipe books, especially some ancient ones that my Grandma has handed to me, with handwritten recipes from her, and her older relatives in them.


I really enjoy baking, and realised that I have many books which I hardly pick up, so instead of getting rid, I decided to USE them, and set myself a challenge to use every recipe in my two books dedicated to cupcakes.


I went off to work that week feeling really motivated to bake and share! On mentioning this to a colleague, she suggested that I blog about it, and what an excellent idea that was, because it means I can share the love to those out of reach of my baking, and pass recipes along. It will also help me to keep track of a few lessons learned too. 


I hope you enjoy! :]