Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes

These chocolate peanut butter cupcakes are the perfect combination of sweet and slightly salty. Chocolate sponge topped with a swirl of creamy peanut butter frosting drizzled with melty chocolate and finished off with half a Reeses Peanut Butter Cup, the image of cupcake perfection.

When it's cold outside and I've spent the whole day making cupcakes at work, battled my way home through the biting wind which is ever present along the banks of the River Tyne before finally collapsing in the comfort of my warm house you'd think the last thing on my mind would be more baking.  You'd be wrong, I'm forever getting back from a day of baking in the shop only to pull out my Kitchenaid and whip up something sweet and sugary. It's an addiction.

These chocolate peanut butter cupcakes came about when I looked in the cupboard and realised I had a bumper pack of Reeses Peanut Butter Cups sitting unused. Rather than alert Kris and watch them vanish in a matter of moments, I thought I'd do something special with them, and whats more special than adorning the top of a cupcake?

Chocolate Peanut Butter Frosting

Ingredients:

• For the cupcakes:
• 175g unsalted butter, softened
• 175g soft light brown sugar
• 3 large, free range eggs
• 175g self raising flour
• 1tsp baking powder
• 4tbsp cocoa powder
• 2tbsp whole milk


• For the frosting:
• 125g unsalted butter, softened
• 300g icing sugar
• 100g smooth peanut butter
• 2tbsp whole milk
• 50g plain chocolate, melted
• 6 Reese's peanut butter cups, halved

Cooking Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 175°C fan and line a cupcake tray with 12 liners.
2. In a large bowl sift together the flour, cocoa powder and baking powder. Set aside.
3. Place the butter and sugar in an electric mixer and mix until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well between each addition. Add the flour mixture in one go ensuring all the ingredients are thoroughly combined. Mix the milk through the batter until smooth.
4. Fill the cupcake liners to 2/3 full and bake for 20 - 25 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean.
5. Allow to cool in the pan for five minutes before removing to finish cooling on a rack.
6. While the cupcakes are cooling, make the frosting.
7. Mix the butter in the bowl of an electric mixer until pale and soft. Add the icing sugar and the peanut butter and milk. Turn the mixer on low and gradually increase the speed. Whip for 5 minutes, if the frosting looks too stiff add a splash more milk until you reach a nice piping consistency.
8. Once the cupcakes have cooled fill a piping bag, fitted with an open star nozzle, with the peanut butter frosting and pipe a cute swirl on each cake. Drizzle each cake with the melted chocolate and top with half a peanut butter cup.

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Super Moist Chocolate Cupcakes

I was glancing at my blog archives the other day and I realised, I've never shared a recipe for a basic chocolate cupcakes, or even a vanilla one for that matter.  Basic recipes are the building blocks of baking, once you've mastered a simple chocolate cupcake, you can customise it to your hearts content. Here I'm sharing the recipe for my favourite, super moist and delicious, chocolate cupcake.

These babies are people pleasers. Chocolate cake can often be dry and a bit uninspired, but this one is so light and moist you'll be going back for seconds, even thirds.  Once you've got this one down. you can add in a little peppermint extract for a chocolate mint cake or maybe grated orange zest for a nice chocolate orange zing. The world is your oyster.

So guys and girls, are there any more basic recipes you'd like to see here? I'd love to whip up some more simple bakes.

*I wholeheartedly apologise for using the word moist, I know I know. I hate it too.

Super Moist Chocolate Cupcakes

Ingredients:

• 150g plain flour
• 200g caster sugar
• 40g cocoa powder
• 1tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 1/2tsp fine salt
• 1 large egg
• 120ml buttermilk
• 120ml sunflower oil
• 1tsp vanilla extract
• 120ml hot water


• For the frosting :
• 250g unsalted butter, room temperature
• 350g plain chocolate, melted
• 20g cocoa powder
• 500g icing sugar
• 50-75ml whole milk

Cooking Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 175°C and line a 12 hole cupcake tray with liners.
2. Sift all of the dry ingredients into a large bowl and set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer add the egg, buttermilk, sunflower oil and vanilla and mix together. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet, mixing all the time. Add the water and mix to a thin batter.
3. Fill each cupcake liner 1/2 way with the chocolate batter and bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes. Allow cupcakes to cool in the tray for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack. Make your frosting while the cakes are cooling.
4. Beat the softened butter in your electric mixer until smooth, pour in the melted chocolate and beat to combine. Add in the cocoa and icing sugar and mix, slowly add the milk until you reach a good piping consistency. (Not too stiff, not too soft). You may not need all of the milk.
5. Using a large closed star nozzle pipe a swirl of buttercream onto each cooled cupcake. Cakes can be kept in an airtight tin for up to 3 days.

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Caramac Cupcakes

As a child of the 80's I have eaten more than my fair share of Caramac bars.  The caramelised white chocolate candy was a bit of a sweetheart during the decade and you could find the iconic red and yellow packaged bars on most sweetshop shelves. Fast forward to 2017 and the beloved Caramac is almost unheard of. A retro treat reserved for people over the age of 30. Well guys, I'm here to tell you it's flipping delicious and you should hightail it to your local supermarket and treat yo'self to this sweet and caramelly delight.

As you've probably noticed by now, I enjoy transforming my favourite flavours into cute cupcakes, so of course Caramacs were always going to get the same treatment.  I've used a simple vanilla cupcake as the base with a simple switch, light brown sugar for caster.  This gives the most subtle caramel flavour, perfect when paired with the velvety Caramac frosting.

If you decide to give these, or any other of my recipes a whirl be sure to tag me in any photos you post. I love to see what you guys whip up.  Find me at Instagram Katie_Petlamb, Facebook and Twitter.  

Caramac Cupcakes

Ingredients:

• 175g (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 175g (3/4 cup) light brown sugar
• 3 large, free range eggs
• 175g (1.5 cups) self raising flour
• 1tsp baking powder
• 50ml whole milk
  

For the frosting:

• 125g (1/2cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 300g (2 1/3cups) icing sugar
• 100g Caramac chocolate
• 1tbsp whole milk (if needed)
• Caramac buttons to decorate

Cooking Directions:

1. Heat your oven to 170C and line a 12 hole cupcake tray with liners. Set aside.
2. The the bowl of an electric mixer whip the butter and sugar together till light and creamy, around 3-5 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time mixing between each addition. Add half the flour and mix, add the milk followed by the rest of the flour and the baking powder. Mix till combined the mix in the vanilla extract.
3. Using an ice cream scoop fill each cupcake liner to 2/3 full and bake for 20 minutes until risen and springy when touched. Allow to cool in the tin for 5 minutes before removing to a baking rack to finish cooling.
4. To make the frosting first melt the Caramac chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan 1/4 full of simmering water. Set aside. Mix the butter in the bowl of an electric mixer until pale and soft. Add the icing sugar and the melted Caramac. Turn the mixer on low and gradually increase the speed. Whip for 5 minutes, if the frosting looks too stiff add a splash of milk until you reach a nice piping consistency.
5. Once the cupcakes have cooled fill a piping bag, fitted with an open star nozzle, with the Caramac frosting and pipe a cute swirl on each cake. Top with Caramac buttons or sections of the Caramac bar.

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Strawberry Prosecco Cupcakes

My love of prosecco is well documented on this blog, there really is nothing better than popping that cork and settling down for a good gossip with the girls.  Last week we went extra with our flutes, topping them with a plump, red strawberry before adding a dash of wild strawberry liquor. Needless to say it was utterly delicious, which got me thinking about cupcakes.  How can I incorporate this delicious flavour into a little bun, thus these strawberry prosecco cupcakes were born.

The best thing about these cupcakes is the surprise on peoples faces when they bite through the sponge to discover a full, juicy strawberry hiding inside.  What a treat.

With Mothers Day on the horizon I can imagine many a deserving mother who would be delighted with the gift of these babies.  Serve them up alongside a chilled glass of prosecco for the queen of Mothers Day treats, you'll even get bonus points for making them with your own hands.  No store bought cakes for you, oh no!

Strawberry Prosecco Cupcakes

Ingredients

• For the cake :
• 175g (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 175g (3/4 cup) caster sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 175g (1 1/2 cups) self raising flour
• 1tsp baking powder
• 1tsp vanilla extract
• 3tbsp whole milk
• 12 strawberries


• For the frosting :
• 125g (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened
• 300g (2 1/2 cups) icing sugar
• 100ml prosecco
• popping candy and straws to decorate

Cooking Directions

1. Heat your oven to 170C and line a 12 hole cupcake tray with liners. Set aside. 
2. In the the bowl of an electric mixer whip the butter and sugar together till light and creamy, around 3-5 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time mixing between each addition. Add half the flour and mix, add the milk followed by the rest of the flour and the baking powder. Mix till combined the mix in the vanilla extract.
3. Using an ice cream scoop fill each cupcake liner to 2/3 full and bake for 20 minutes until risen and springy when touched. Allow to cool in the tin for 5 minutes before removing to a baking rack to finish cooling.
4. To make the frosting first mix the butter in the bowl of an electric mixer until pale and soft. Add the icing sugar and 3/4 of the prosecco. Turn the mixer on low and gradually increase the speed. Whip for 5 minutes, if the frosting looks too stiff add a touch more prosecco until you reach a nice piping consistency.
5. One the cupcakes have cooled slightly brush the tops with the remaining prosecco then take a small knife and hollow out a cone in the center of each cupcake, pop a strawberry in each hole. Fill a piping bag, fitted with an open star nozzle, with the prosecco frosting and pipe a cute swirl on each cake. Sprinkle with the popping candy and pop a little straw in the top.

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Jack Daniels and Coke Cupcakes

You guys don't half love a boozy bake.  Whenever I look at my blog stats one particular post always stands out in terms of popularity, my gin and tonic cupcakes.  I've seemed to shy away from cupcakes on my blog; probably because I bake them at work all day, every day, but that's enough of that.  What a way to reintroduce cupcakes than with these super kick-ass Jack Daniels and Coke blighters.  

These delightfully squiffy babies consist of a cola sponge, hollowed out and filled with a Jack Daniels spiced chocolate ganache. They're then topped with a swirl of Jack Daniels butter cream, followed by more ganache and a jelly cola bottle.  I'd recommend these cupcakes for any adult occasion but I can't help but notice how perfect they'd be for Fathers Day, what a coincidence that it's coming up next week!

I'm already planning a bit of a cuptail (that's a cocktail cupcake to you and me) series for my blog, combining my passion for cake and a good old booze.  What cocktail would you like to see magicked into a cupcake wrapper?

Jack Daniels and Coke Cupcakes

Adapted from How to be a Domestic Goddess

Makes 20 - 24 cupcakes

For the cupcakes:

250ml full fat Coke

250g unsalted butter

85g cocoa powder

220g plain flour

400g caster sugar

2tsp baking powder

2 large eggs

250ml soured cream

For the ganache:

600g plain chocolate

300ml double cream

4tsp Jack Daniels

For the Buttercream:

250g butter, softened

750g icing sugar

4tbsp Jack Daniels

4tbsp milk (more if needed)

Method:

Preheat your oven to 175C and line two cupcake trays with liners.  In a large saucepan bring the coke and butter to a simmer until melted together.  Sift in the cocoa powder followed by the sugar, whisk until combined.

In a large jug whisk together the eggs and soured cream until smooth, slowly add the egg mixture to the cola, whisking constantly.  Add the flour and baking powder, fold together till everything is smooth and silky.  Fill the cupcake cases 3/4 full and bake for twenty minutes.

While the cakes are baking prepare the ganache.  Break the chocolate into small pieces and place in a bowl, set aside.  In a small saucepan bring the double cream to a simmer, once small bubbles start to form pour the cream over the chocolate and leave for two minutes.  Stir till smooth and combined before stirring in the Jack Daniels.  Set aside to thicken slightly while you await your cupcakes.

Once your cupcakes are baked and cooled use an apple corer, or a sharp knife to hollow out the centre of each cake.  Fill each hollow with ganache and set aside while you make your butter cream.

For the butter cream place the butter and icing sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer, cover with a tea towel and mix on a medium speed.  Once combined add the Jack Daniels and the milk and mix, again on a medium speed.  If the frosting is still too thick to pipe add a splash of milk until you reach a good consistency.  Pipe a swirl on top of each cupcake before dolloping some more ganache on top followed by a jelly cola bottle.

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Rhubarb and Custard Cupcakes

I love rhubarb season, it's probably the only seasonal produce that I really get excited about.  Well, that and asparagus, but who doesn't get a jolly on for asparagus? 

I was visiting a local farm shop recently, picking up some bits and bobs for lunch when my eye was caught by a massive tub of the beautiful rosy stalks.  The lovely lady who worked their informed me it had just been picked from their fields that morning.  That's all I needed to hear, so I loaded up my basket with the pink stems and off I trotted.

Sadly Kris isn't as much of a fan of rhubarb as I, claiming it's too tart, so all ideas of rhubarb crumble went right out the window.  After much deliberation I decided to create a rhubarb compote to fill some custard flavoured cupcakes, genius.  The best thing about owning a cake shop is I get to bake as many cakes as I want and they never go to waste, there's always a bustling crowd desperate to try out any experimental sponges.

 

 You will need:

175g butter, softened
150g self-raising flour

50g custard powder
175g caster sugar

1 tsp baking powder

3 large, free range eggs
1⁄2 tsp vanilla extract

For the compote:

450g rhubarb, cut into chunks

150g caster sugar

150ml water

1tsp vanilla extract 

For the frosting:

125g unsalted butter, softened

250g icing sugar

50g custard powder

50ml milk

Method:

For the compote place the rhubarb, sugar and water in a small saucepan and cook over a medium heat.  Simmer for around 20 minutes or until the compote is thick and smelling delicious, add the vanilla extract then remove from the heat.  Set aside while you make the cupcakes.

Preheat the oven to 180°C and line a 12-hole muffin tin with cupcake cases.
 

Place all of your cake ingredients into the bowl of an electric mixer and mix to combine.  Once all of the ingredeints are blended together, using an ice cream scoop divide the mixture between the cupcake cases.

Bake for 20 minutes or until the cakes are golden and spring back with touched.  Allow to cool in the tin for 5 minutes before turning out to finish cooling on a wire rack.

When the cakes are cool cut a hollow out from the middle of each sponge, this is easiest with an apple corer, and fill with the rhubarb compote.

To make the frosting place the butter, vanilla, custard powder, icing sugar and half of the milk into your electric mixer and mix to combine.  If your frosting is looking too stiff add a bit more milk until you reach a pipable consistancy.

Spoon the frosting into a piping bag fitted with an open star nozzle the pipe tall swirls of the icing on top of each cupcake. Top with a fondant flower or pink sprinkles to finish.

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Wasabi & White Chocolate Cupcakes

Last week Kris and I visited a mini chilli and chocolate festival in the wonderful Grainger Market in Newcastle.  The festival was to publicise the annual Chilli Festival held at Seaton Delaval Hall which Pet Lamb are delighted to be a part of.  If the mini fest was anything to go by,the actual event will blow off your socks, in more ways than one!  After seeing the amazing variety of products available I started thinking about which flavours we could incorporate into our cupcakes to make them more suitable for such a spicy event.  We have quite a few surprises up our sleeves but one of my favorites is this, wasabi and white chocolate cupcake.  

For those of you unfamiliar with wasabi, it is an extremely hot condiment used in Japanese cuisine.  Also known as Japanese Horseradish it is most commonly used to add flavour to sushi.  I am a huge fan of wasabi so adding it to a cupcake was a match made in Katie heaven.  The heat is rather subtle giving the cupcake a distinct warmth in the aftertaste.  If you like it spicier, simply add more wasabi!

Wasabi & White Chocolate Cupcakes

Ingredients:
175g unsalted butter
175g caster sugar
175g self raising flour
50g plain flour
3 large eggs
1tsp baking powder
1tbsp wasabi paste 
100g white chocolate chips
2tbsp milk

Frosting:
125g Butter
350g icing sugar
3tbsp milk
1tsp vanilla extract

Method:
Preheat the oven to 180C - 160C fan and line a cupcake tray with 12 liners.
In a large bowl sift together the flours, and baking powder. Set aside.
Place the butter and sugar in an electric mixer and mix until light and creamy. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well between each addition.  Add the flour mixture in one go ensuring all the ingredients are thoroughly combined.  Stir through the milk and wasabi paste before adding the chocolate chips and mixing to combine.


Fill the cupcake liners to 2/3 full and bake for 20 - 25 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean.


Allow to cool in the pan for five minutes before removing to finish cooling on a rack.

For the frosting place the soft butter and icing sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer and mix on low to combine.  Still mixing slowly add the milk until you reach the desired consistency.  Pipe or swirl onto each cake and enjoy.

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Gin and Tonic Cupcakes

Last year, for my Birthday, I received five bottles of gin.  Yes, that's right, five! One bottle of Hendricks, two bottles of Tanqueray 10, one bottle of Gordons and one bottle of pink gin.  That's a whole lot of G&T's, in fact, it's enough to keep a girl in G&T for almost a whole year.  With my Birthday fast approaching I'm down to my last bottle of Tanqueray and readying my cocktail cabinet for this years onslaught.  So, you should know by now, I'm just like every other cliched blogger in the world, I'm a G&T kinda gal.  With ice and a slice, of course.  I came to gin early in my life, at the ripe old age of 18.  My local student club night, Get Ya Skates On, served a double G&T for £1.50.  My poor student bank balance enjoyed this deal and thus, a lifetime relationship was born.  Here's to ten more years.

I can't actually believe it has taken me this long to include my favorite tipple in a cupcake recipe.  Maybe I thought it too sacred or maybe I didn't want to waste good gin on what could turn out to be a rancid failure, I don't know, but five bottles of the stuff means I can afford to be a little dangerous.    I used the premise of my Margarita cupcakes to create this recipe, they turned out amazingly so surely it should work with gin.  It does!

Gin and Tonic Cupcakes

Ingredients:

175g unsalted butter

175g golden caster sugar

175g self raising flour

25g plain flour
2 large eggs

1tsp baking powder

1tsp vanilla

3 tbsp tonic water

2tbsp gin

zest of 1 lime

Method:

Preheat the oven to 180C - 160C fan and line a cupcake tray with 12 liners.
In a large bowl sift together the flours and baking powder. Set aside.

Place the butter and sugar in an electric mixer and mix until light and creamy. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well between each addition.  Add the flour mixture in one go ensuring all the ingredients are thoroughly combined.  Stir in tonic water.

Fill the cupcake liners to 2/3 full and bake for 20 - 25 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean.  Pierce the top of each cupcake five times and using half of the gin, brush over each cake. Leave to cool.


For the frosting mix the butter and icing sugar together until pale and creamy.  Add the remaining gin to the frosting and mix to combine.  Pipe a generous swirl upon each cake, grate over some lime zest and top with a marshmallow ice cube and a wedge of lime.

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Margarita Cupcakes

When it comes to eating out we're faced with quite a choice of cuisines.  We have Itallian, Chinese, Indian, Japanese and even Mongolian but for me there's only one choice, Mexican!  I adore Mexican food, give me a taco over a pizza any day of the week.  One of the big attractions to Mexican food has to be the cocktails, more specifically an ice cold Margarita.  To me, there is nothing better than a frozen Margarita on a hot day, actually there is, five frozen Margaritas on a hot day ;)

When I received an order through Pet Lamb for some cocktail themed cupcakes for a hen party I just knew it had to be Margarita!  Tequila, lime and cupcakes, you just know that's gonna be a good night!  Sadly I didn't have any Tequila handy (I may or may not have killed my last bottle at Christmas, oops) so I grabbed a bottle of ready made Margarita mix, poured myself a glass and set about making some boozey cake.

The sponge is really quite subtle, I used a vanilla base brushed with tequila but boy does the frosting have an amazing kick.  Laced with tequila, lime juice and zest you could just eat it with a spoon.

Margarita Cupcakes

Ingredients:

175g unsalted butter

175g golden caster sugar
3 large eggs

175g self raising flour

25g plain flour

1tsp baking powder

1tsp vanilla

3tbsp milk

2tbsp tequila

juice of 2 limes

125g butter
250g icing sugar 
2tbsp tequila

Method:

Preheat the oven to 180C - 160C fan and line a cupcake tray with 12 liners.
In a large bowl sift together the flours and baking powder. Set aside. Mix tequila and lime juice in a small cup and place in the fridge for later.

Place the butter and sugar in an electric mixer and mix until light and creamy. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well between each addition.  Add the flour mixture in one go ensuring all the ingredients are thoroughly combined.  Stir in milk.

Fill the cupcake liners to 2/3 full and bake for 20 - 25 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean.  Pierce the top of each cupcake five times and brush your tequila and lime over each cake. Leave to cool.


For the frosting mix the butter and icing sugar together until pale and creamy.  Add the remaining tequila and lime to the frosting and mix to combine.  Pipe a generous swirl upon each cake, grate over some lime zest and top with a wedge of lime.

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Red Velvet

For some reason or another red velvet cupcakes have always alluded me.  Every time I've tested a recipe I was faced with the exact same problem. They didn't rise, they had hard and cracked tops and just didn't look like a cake you'd ever want near your mouth.  I've always blamed the oven, I mean, it can't be me.... can it?

Since the move I've obviously gained a brand new oven, so now was the perfect time to test my hypothesis!  Was it the evil old oven with the seal hanging off (thanks mister landlord) or was it in fact, me.  Rather than following any old recipe, I took elements of all of my failed attempts and created a recipe which I believe could solve my little problem.  Turns out I was right, it was the bloody oven!  These cakes came out perfectly!  The rose beautifully and have an amazingly light and fluffy texture.

When it came to showing my first red velvet success I instantly knew I had to use my adorable red car cupcake wrappers from Just Bake!  Normally I'm not a fan of cupcake wrappers, too fussy for my tastes but the moment I laid eyes upon these little sweethearts I was smitten.  Reminiscent of the wonderful Orla Kielys car print designs, they're just perfect for showing off your creations.

Red Velvet Cupcakes

Ingredients:

65g unsalted butter, softened

150g caster sugar

130g plain flour

125ml buttermilk
1 large egg

1tbsp cocoa powder

1/2tsp baking powder

1/2tsp bicarbonate of soda

1/2tsp white wine vinegar

1tsp red food colouring paste

pinch of salt

Method:

Preheat oven to 160C and line a cupcake tray with 12 liners.

Sift together flour, baking powder, cocoa powder and salt then, in a separate bowl, mix the buttermilk and red food colouring together.  Set aside.

In a bowl attached to an electric mixer whip the butter and sugar together until the mixture turns pale and creamy.  With the speed up high, add the egg and whisk for a few minutes.  Add 1/2 of the flour mixture followed by the buttermilk and colouring before adding the remainder of the flour.  Mix well to combine.

Working quickly mix the bicarb and vinegar together allowing it t fizz up slightly before adding it to the cake batter. Quickly fold in into the cake batter.

Divide the batter between the cupcake liners and bake for 23 minutes until risen and a skewer inserted into the center of each cake comes out clean.  Allow to cool in the tin for five minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.

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Cupcake Push Pops

I recently stumbled upon an amazing idea, an idea so amazing yet so simple that I can't believe I didn't think of it earlier.  That idea is, wait for it.... cupcake push pops!!  Awesome, right?!  I used to love push pops when I was a kid, then when posh pops became like, so totally passé, ring pops were my new love.  Any new and novel way to eat something sweet and I was first in line, pocket money in my clammy, clenched fist.  So when I discovered these cupcake versions I instantly purchased the containers and baked up a batch.  Needless to say my friends were super impressed.  Ooohs and ahhhs were soon drowned out by mmmms as the adorable treats were devoured in an instant.  

The thing I love most about these push pops are the simplicity behind them.  All it takes is a batch of your favorite mini cupcakes, your favorite frosting, some cases and hey presto, you can make push pops.  Just pop a mini cupcake into the case, top with frosting and repeat.  Add a few cute sprinkles and you're ready to paint the town red.

Even little Muffin enjoys them.

Now, if you excuse me.  I have more cupcake push pops to make. 

Lil tip from me, a champagne flute is the perfect size to hold your cases as you pipe.  Just saying ;)

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Mini Cupcake Maker

When the lovely Joanna from Find Me a Gift asked me if I'd like to review a mini cupcake maker I jumped at the chance.  Cupcake makers are something I've always wondered about, do they work, do they produce yummy results, surely they can't be as good as making them in the oven?  Well, here was my chance to answer all of my questions...

When the cupcake maker arrived I unpacked it, stood back and did a little 'awwwh'.  It's super cute for a start, all pink and canny, which little girl wouldn't love this for Christmas?!  After the initial cute factor I read the instructions expecting there to be something rather complex to make the whole process unsuitable for a little person, I was wrong.  Everything about the cupcake maker is just so simple, a monkey could use it.  Oil the cavities, fill with batter, close the lid and wait.  That's it!

Six minutes later I popped the cupcake maker open to reveal seven adorable bite sized chocolate chip muffins.  They slid out of the cavity with such ease, it was a little satisfying if I'm honest.  Now, do they stand up to the taste test?  The answer is yes, moist and taste and ready in less than ten minutes.  What more could you want?!

I tried the cupcake maker with both mini liners and unlined and much preferred the unlined cakes.  They rose up larger and were real easy to pop out of their little moulds. Plus, you could stick em straight into your open mouth, chomp!

My verdict, the mini cupcake maker is the perfect gift for any budding baker this Christmas.  Just think, you could have a batch of warm muffins on the table in minutes perfect for those surprise visitors.  No mess, no fuss, just cupcakes!

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Pumpkin Brown Butter Cupcakes

Isn't the weather just perfect right now? Bright sun but the air has a delightful chill to it, it's starting to look a lot like Autumn finally.  Right now, there is nothing more comforting than sitting home, pot of tea on the table with a hunk of lightly spiced cake and a good book.  If, like me, you live in a house with few people you probably steer away from baking a huge cake unless you're expecting guests, this is where these cupcakes come in.  If you don't want to eat them right away, no problem.  Pop them in the freezer along with a bag of frosting and you have delicious cake every day for a fortnight!

These cupcakes take no time at all, no need to cream the fat and sugar together, no adding of milk and flour separately, just pop the ingredients into a bowl and mix.  The most difficult part of making these cupcakes is browning the butter, which is just so super simple.  Go for it!  

Pumpkin and Brown Butter Cupcakes

(Adapted from Martha Stewarts Cupcakes)

Ingredients: 

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for tins

1 2/3 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for tins

1/4 cup fresh sage leaves, cut into chiffonade (optional)

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

1 cup canned pumpkin puree (not pie filling)

1 cup packed light-brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

Method:

Preheat oven to 160C. Line a cupcake tin with some spooky liners. In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Add the sage, if desired, and continue to cook, swirling occasionally, until butter turns golden brown. Skim foam from top, and remove from heat. Pour into a bowl to stop the cooking, leaving any burned sediment behind; let cool.
 

Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. In another bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, both sugars, eggs, and brown-butter mixture. Add flour mixture and whisk until just combined.
 

Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three-quarters full. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until cake tester inserted in center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Transfer tins to wire racks to cool completely before removing cupcakes. Cupcakes can be stored overnight at room temperature, or frozen up to 2 months, in airtight containers.

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National Cupcake Week, Day Three - Cut Out Decorations

When it comes to decorating cupcakes it's often the simplest ideas that give the most eye catching effect.  Cut out decorations are one of the easiest and quickest ways to decorate a cake and is a technique I often lean toward when tarting up basic flavours for Pet Lamb.  Add a flower here, a butterfly there and you're left with something much more attractive than just a plain old vanilla covered in sprinkles.

To start with you need your cutters.  I have a huge collection of cutters but these three are my sure fire favorites.  A simple blossom, rose and butterfly cutter pared with your favorite coloured fondant and you're ready to go.  You can pick items like these up at any cake decorating store or even Amazon for some speedy next day delivery.

To make the cute lil flowers above all you need to do is follow these simple steps.  First, roll out some green fondant to around 5mm thick and stamp out six shapes with your medium rose cutter and lay each 'leaf' into the indentation in an artists palate (I got mine from Paperchase, 60p each).

Next do the same with your pink fondant and stamp out six shapes with your medium blossom cutter.  Lay the blossoms over the leaves at a slightly offset angle ensuring that you can still see a little green poking through the petals.  Give the middle of each flower a little dusting of pink luster dust and leave to set for 24 hours.  Once set, slide the flowers from their little home and you're ready to decorate!

For the butterflies follow the steps for the flowers but rather than leaving to dry in a palate make yourself a little paper nest for them to set.  Grab the cover of an old magazine, cut it into thick strips and fold them into little Constantina so they make an M shape when stood on a table.  Place the butterflies into the V shape and leave to dry for 24 hours.

And voilà, there you have cupcakes that will wow and amaze your friends and family.  Happy decorating!

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National Cupcake Week, Day Two - Shimmer Spray

Todays decorating technique is something I've only recently came across.  Dr Oetker have released a whole new baking range including this awesome shimmer spray.  It can be used to cover chocolate, cupcakes or can be sprayed over a stencil on brownies and cakes to create a shimmery golden design.  Also available in silver you can cover pretty much anything with this edible shimmer.  I just love how it glams up our Elvis Cupcakes for Pet Lamb!  I'm sure the king himself would approve.

The Dr Oetker spray is available in all good supermarkets. Buy a tin and glam up your treats!

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