Grapefruit Olive Oil Cake

Moist, zingy and bright. This grapefruit olive oil cake is a delicious slice of sunshine on a plate.  Dip any left over candied grapefruit slices in chocolate for a delicious snack.

Can you believe it's finally Spring here in the UK. Although you can be forgiven for doubting it; it's still too cold to venture outside without a scarf and there's more snow warnings on the horizon, but it's gotta be over soon. Right?!  Even a staunch Winter lover like me is so over the chill, I'm ready for denim jackets, floaty dresses and dare I say, ditching the tights for bare legs. Oh me, oh my!

Growing up in my house, grapefruit was always considered a breakfast food. I used to love sitting down to half a grapefruit, sprinkled liberally with sugar. I even had a dedicated, serrated grapefruit spoon. I was a cool kid, what can I say. This means, in my eyes, grapefruit olive oil cake is perfectly acceptable as a breakfast food.  Cake for breakfast guys, I found a loophole!

Since the weather is refusing to play ball I thought I'd create a little slice of sunshine right here in my kitchen.  It's hard to be sad when you're oven is pumping out the warm, citrus scents of this grapefruit olive oil cake.  Plus you get to feel like a real life Willy Wonker candying up some grapefruit slices, just make sure you're careful and don't let any kids in the kitchen, sugar gets real hot y'all.

Grapefruit Olive Oil Cake

Ingredients:

• For the Candied Grapefruit :
• 1 small grapefruit, sliced into rounds
• 150g caster sugar
• 150ml water


• For the Cake:
• 200g caster sugar
• 225g self raising flour
• 1tsp baking powder
• 175ml olive oil
• 55g unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 1 grapefruit, zested and juiced
• 4 large, free range eggs
• 250ml soured cream


• For the Glaze:
• 300g icing sugar
• 2-3tbsp of the grapefruit juice from above

Cooking Directions:

1. First make your candied grapefruit. Fill a large bowl with cold water and a handful of ice cubes and set aside. Fill a large saucepan 3/4 with water and bring to the boil. Once at a rolling boil lower in the grapefruit slices and simmer for 1 minute. Remove the slices to the ice water to cool down.


2. In the same (empty) pan add the 150ml water and sugar and bring to a simmer, stir until the sugar has dissolved. Place the boiled grapefruit slices into the sugar water and simmer for 1 hour. Place each slice on a baking sheet lined with greaseproof paper and allow to cool completely.


3. Preheat the oven to 175C and grease and line a loaf tin.


4. In the bowl of an electric mixer combine the sugar and grapefruit zest, mix until fragrant. While the motor is still running on the lowest speed add in the melted butter, olive oil, eggs and soured cream. Add in the flour and baking powder and mix until combined.


5. Pour the batter into the prepared tin and bake for 50-60 minutes or until golden brown and a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool in the tin before removing to a wire rack with a sheet of baking paper underneath.


6. To make the glaze combine the icing sugar with the grapefruit juice in a large bowl. Add the juice a little at a time until you get a thick, pourable consistency. If it's too thick, add a little more juice. If it's too thin, add a little more icing sugar.


7. Pour the glaze over the cake, allow to set for 10 minutes then decorate with the candied grapefruit slices.

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Persian Love Cake

Persian Love Cake is a beautifully scented, rich and delicious cake. Filled with exotic the flavours of cardamon, saffron and rose water this cake is truly a slice of luxury.  Loaded with ground almonds and creamy yogurt then drizzled with a sticky citrus syrup, this cake will keep perfectly for a few days while still retaining the moist texture. 

Isn't the name of this cake just beautiful, Persian Love Cake. I feel like a fairytale princess whenever I make it. Legend has it that a Persian woman concocted this cake and filled it with love magic in order to make a handsome Prince fall in love with her. Nobody can agree on whether the tale has a happy ending or not, but I like to think the Prince fell head over heels for the woman and they lived happily ever after. I mean, who could deny the loving powers of this cake.

Traditionally a Persian Love Cake is decorated with dried rose petals and chopped pistachios. Unfortunately I was unable to find dried rose petals... okay okay, I couldn't be bothered to look for them, you got me, so chopped pistachios and live roses will have to do. I still think it looks rather enchanting.

Persian Love Cake

Ingredients:

• 6 cardamom pods
• 100ml full fat milk
• pinch of saffron strands
• 6 large free range eggs
• 250g caster sugar
• 250ml full fat greek yogurt
• 200g ground almonds
• 100g plain flour
• 1tsp baking powder
• 2tsp rose water
• 75g pistachios, chopped
• 1 orange, zested (reserve juice for syrup)
• 1 lemon, zested (reserve juice for syrup)


• For the syrup:
• lemon juice from zested lemon
• orange juice from zested orange
• 50ml water
• 125g caster sugar
• 2tsp rosewater

Cooking Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 175C and grease and line a 22cm cake tin.
2. Remove the cardamom seeds from their pods and lightly crush with a pestle and mortar.
3. Heat the milk in a small saucepan until warm (do not allow to boil) and add in the saffron strands, set aside while you make the cake.
4. In the bowl of an electric mixer mix the eggs and sugar together till thick and creamy. Fold in the almonds, flour, baking powder and yogurt. Add the orange and lemon zest and the chopped pistachios and cardamon and gently fold through until just combined. Stir in the milk and rosewater.
5. Pour the batter into the prepared tin and bake for 45-50 minutes, until golden and a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out with just a few crumbs clinging to it.
6. While the cake is baking, make the syrup. In a medium, heavy bottomed saucepan combine the orange and lemon juice, water, sugar and rosewater and simmer over a medium low heat until the liquid has reduced by half. Around 10 minutes. Brush onto the warm cake and allow to cool in the tin.
7. Decorate with rose petals and more chopped pistachios and dust with icing sugar.

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Blood Orange and Almond Cake

This delicious blood orange and almond cake has an unusual method behind it, whole boiled oranges.  That's right, boil up some oranges, puree them down and add to the cake batter to make a deeply rich and decadent pudding-like consistency. Pair that with the sticky syrup drizzled over the surface, and the candied orange slices, and you've got a cake made in heaven.

Every year I looks forward to blood orange season, and every year I miss it.  For some reason or other I always seem to just zone out during January and February, my mind wanders to warmer places and the short blood orange season just passes me by. This year I've been badgering my greengrocer on a weekly basis, since November may I add, that as soon as they spot the sacred little red oranges in the fruit market they simply must pick some up for me. I tell you what, it pays to befriend your greengrocer.

Did I mention that this cake is naturally gluten free, no? Well, it is! Not that'd you'd ever tell. The moisture that comes from the sticky sweet syrup wards off any notion of dryness, meaning you can keep this saucy little number tucked away in a cake tin for a good few days. Hiya cake for a week.

Don't worry if you can't lay your hands on blood oranges, I know they're slippery little buggers to get ahold of. This cake is equally delicious with the regular variety. Jaffas are my favourite, incase you were wondering.

If orange cakes are your jam, check out these zesty babes: Orange Drizzle Loaf / Orange and Pistachio Cake / Jaffa Cake Slutty Brownies

Blood Orange and Almond Cake

Ingredients:

• For the orange slices :
• 1 small blood orange
• 150g caster sugar
• 150ml water


• For the cake :
• 500g blood oranges, whole
• 6 large, free range eggs
• 300g caster sugar
• 300g ground almonds
• 1tsp gluten free baking powder

Cooking Directions:

1. First make the orange slices. Slice the blood orange into thin rounds and set aside. Pour the sugar and water into a heavy bottomed sauce pan and bring to the boil. Once the sugar has dissolved add the orange sliced and turn the heat down low. Simmer for 10 minutes.
2. Preheat the oven to 150°C and line a baking sheet with baking parchment. Place the caramelised orange slices on the prepared baking sheet (reserving the syrup for later) and bake for 20 minutes. Flip the orange slices over and bake for another 20 minutes. Set aside to cool while you make the cake.
3. Place the whole blood oranges in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to the boil and simmer for 1 hour.
4. While the oranges are simmering grease and line a 20cm, springform cake tin and preheat the oven to 160°C
5. Remove the boiled oranges from the pan and allow to cool slightly. Cut each orange in half and remove any pips before transferring to a food processor or blender and blending them down to a pulp.
6. Place the sugar and eggs in the bowl of an electric mixer and mix until light, thick and doubled in size. Add in the orange pulp followed by the ground almonds and baking powder and mix until fully incorporated.
7. Pour the batter into the prepared cake tin and bake for 45-50 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out with just a few crumbs clinging to it.
8. Pour the reserved syrup over the warm cake and allow to cool completely in the tin. Once cool remove the cake and top the the orange slices. Serve with a dollop of mascarpone and a pot of tea on the side.

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Blueberry and White Chocolate Cake

If there was ever a cake made for breakfast time, this is it.  Filled to bursting with white chocolate chips and juicy blueberries you'll be hard pressed to find a more decident breakfast treat.

The soured cream in this cake creates a moistness like no other. I ate this cake over the space of a week and it stayed so squishy and moist.  I have to admit, this is one of my very favorite loaf cakes I've ever made. I can't wait to try it out with forraged blackberries over the next few weeks.

I hope you enjoy this cake as much as I did. In fact, I'm off to make another one for the weekend. Happy Baking.

Blueberry White Chocolate Cake

Ingredients:

• 100g unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 150g golden caster sugar
• 2 large, free range eggs
• 2tsp vanilla extract
• 200g self raising flour
• 1tsp baking powder
• 150ml soured cream
• 220g blueberries
• 150g white chocolate chips


• For the frosting :
• 180g full fat cream cheese
• 100g icing sugar

Cooking Directions:

1. Line a loaf tin with baking parchment and preheat the oven to 175°C.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Turn the mixer down to low and add the eggs in one at a time, beating well between each addition. Mix in the vanilla extract.
3. Add half of the flour, the baking powder and half of the soured cream and beat to combine. Add the remaining flour and soured cream and mix again. Stir through half of the blueberries and all of the white chocolate chips, pour the batter into the prepared loaf tin and bake for 1hr - 1hr 15minutes.
4. Allow to cool in the tin for 20 minutes before transfering the cake to a wire rack to finish cooling.
5. When the cake is cooled, make the frosting. Whip the cream cheese and icing sugar together until creamy and then spread over the top of the cake. Scatter with the remaining blueberries and serve.

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Lemon Zucchini Loaf

Sometimes you just have to say "to hell with the diet, I want cake for breakfast".  That's exactly what I thought earlier this week, so I set about to make an every so slightly better-for-you cake thats acceptable to eat for breakfast. That's where this lemon zucchini (or courgette to you and me) loaf was born.

 

If you like carrot cake you're gonna lose your mind at this zucchini loaf.  I absolutely love to add veg to cakes and bakes, it adds a moistness that simply cannot be beaten.  I mean, I made this cake on a Monday, we finished it off on Friday and it was still just as moist and delicious as the day I made it. Nowt that's what you want from a cake, if you ask me.

This loaf is so adaptable. I added grated lemon zest but you could substitute this for lime. Add a handful of poppy seeds or even leave the citrus out all together and throw in a teaspoon of cinnamon for a nice spicy number.  Plus, if you fancy making this baby dairy free, just sub in soya yogurt for greek yogurt and Bob's your mam's sister's husband.  They're all gonna be winners.

Lemon Zucchini Bread

Ingredients:

• 225g grated courgette
• 200g sugar
• 120ml sunflower oil
• 120ml plain, full fat yogurt
• 1 large, free range egg
• 3 lemons, zested
• 220g self raising flour
• 1tsp baking powder


• For the frosting:
• 200g icing sugar
• 3tbsp lemon juice

Cooking Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 175°C, grease and line a loaf tin and set aside.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer add the grated courgette, sugar, oil, egg, yogurt and lemon zest. Mix together until combined. Slowly add the flour and baking powder to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined.
3. Pour the batter into the prepared tin and bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour or until a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool in the tin. Once cool, remove from the tin and set aside while you make the glaze.
4. To make the glaze mix the icing sugar and lemon juice together to make a thick drizzle. If it's too thick add a little extra juice, too thin add more icing sugar. You want it to drip down the side of your cake. Drizzle over the loaf, allow to set for about 20 minutes and serve.

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Confetti Birthday Cake

One thing about being a baker is whenever a birthday or special occasion arrises, all eyes fall on you. Not that I don't love showering my loved ones in sweet treats, there's nothing more satisfying that watching someone you love enjoying something you've created. Ocassionally, it becomes a bit of a chore, a busmans holiday if you will. Then you remember you bloody love making cakes, and making people happy is awesome, so you whip up a ridic cute and ridic easy confetti cake. Take a bow, you're the confection queen (or king) once more.

Confetti cakes are so easy to make, it's simply a vanilla cake with a tonne of rainbow sprinkles baked into the batter to give a glorious, speckled surprise.  Sadly, the majority of British rainbow sprinkles are a bit rubbish, we can't use all the fun colours found in American sprinkles you see.  If you can, get your mitts on some super bright confetti sprinkles. TKMaxx is a great place to find imported ones.  Unfortunately, I couldn't get my little hands on any pots of fun so my cake is a little subtle. The brighter the sprinkle, the brighter the final result.

If you're feeling super lazy, or super chill, you can always utilise a box mix and stir in a few handfuls of sprinkles.  I promise I won't tell.

Confetti Cake

Ingredients

• 350g caster sugar
• 350g unsalted butter at room temperature
• 6 large, free range eggs
• 350g self raising flour
• 1tsp baking powder
• 1tsp vanilla extract
• 4tbsp whole milk
• 150g rainbow sprinkles


• For the frosting :
• 250g unsalted butter at room temperature
• 450g icing sugar
• 1tsp vanilla extract
• 4tbsp whole milk
• rainbow sprinkles to decorate

Cooking Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 170C and line 3 9" cake tins with baking paper. Place the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer and mix on a medium speed for 5 minutes until the butter is light and creamy. Sift the flour and baking powder together and set aside. Turn the mixer down to a low speed and crack the eggs in one at a time. Once the eggs are fully Incorporated add half of the flour and mix to combine, add the milk and vanilla extract followed by the remaining flour and mix again. Stir through the confetti sprinkles.
2. Pour the batter into the prepared baking tins and bake for 35 minutes until golden brown and the cake springs back when you touch it. Allow to cool in the pans for 20 minutes before removing them and placing on a baking rack to finish cooling.
3. To make the frosting first mix the butter in the bowl of an electric mixer until pale and soft. Add the icing sugar, vanilla and 2tbsp of the milk. Turn the mixer on low and gradually increase the speed. Whip for 5 minutes, if the frosting looks too stiff add the rest of your milk. You may find you need a little more, just go steady until you reach a nice spreadable consistency.
4. Spread the frosting on top of your first cake, top with the next cake and repeat. Pop your top layer on and spread the remaining frosting on top and bring the excess down the sides of the cake. Once you've covered the cake in a layer of frosting, grab a bench scraper and hold it against the cake, pressing firmly drag the scraper around the cake to remove the excess frosting and reveal the cake layers for a semi frosted look. Pile a little more frosting on top of the cake and make a nice little swirl. Sprinkle with a few more confetti sprinkles and enjoy.

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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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Double Chocolate Banana Bread

Banana bread is one of life's great pleasures. I love everything about this simple little loaf cake, the intoxicating fug it creates while baking is enough to make me weak at the knees.  I'm guilty of buying bananas with the sole purpose of allowing them to go black and gooey, just so I can mash em up and bake them into my absolute favorite cake. There's a reason we rarely serve up a banana bread in Pet Lamb, it's because I'll eat it all. No lie!

There are so many versions of this cake all over the internet, it's amazing how versatile banana bread can be. This double chocolate version is so totally indulgent and rich that I only try to bake it on special occasions, I seriously have no control when it comes to this baby. 

This particular loaf was whipped up so I could have an extra naughty birthday breakfast of dippy eggs followed by a slab of double chocolate banana bread, heated up in the oven of course.  Get that chocolate all nice and melty, it's no fun unless you get it all over your chops.  The perfect fuel for a busy day.

If you're a banana bread addict like me, check out my other favorite incarnation Hazelnut Chocolate Chip Banana Bread. It's a more sophisticated take on this loaf but equally as delicious!

Double Chocolate Banana Bread

Ingredients

• 50g (1/4cup) Butter, melted and cooled slightly
• 60ml (1/4cup) Sunflower oil
• 3 Over ripe bananas, mashed with a fork
• 150g (3/4cup) Light brown sugar
• 1 Large, free range egg
• 1tsp Vanilla extract
• 125g (1cup) Self raising flour
• 60g (1/2cup) Cocoa powder
• 1tsp Baking powder
• 1/2tsp Salt
• 150g (1cup) Chocolate Chips

Cooking Directions

1. Preheat your oven to 175C and grease a loaf tin and line with baking parchment.
2. In a large bowl mix together your mashed bananas, melted butter, oil, sugar, egg and vanilla extract until combined. Sift your flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt over the wet ingredients and stir until just combined. Stir through 3/4 of the chocolate chips and pour the batter into the prepared tin. Sprinkle over the remaining chocolate chips and bake for 60 minutes until a skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out mostly clean. Remember there are chocolate chips in there so you may have to test the cake in a few places to ensure you're not just hitting melted chocolate.
3. Allow to cool in the pan for 20 minutes before removing from the tin and placing on a wire rack to finish cooling. Slice while still warm and sticky, enjoy and try not to eat the whole thing.

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Vegan Chocolate Raspberry Cake

Vegan baking used to have such a stigma surrounding it.  People automatically assumed because a cake is vegan it wouldn't be good, they were constantly passed over in the bakery and always ended up in the bin. That was until I discovered this recipe, and oh my god is it good! You seriously need to try this vegan chocolate raspberry cake to believe it, so moist and gooey. It really is something else.

I whipped up this cake and tested it out on the Pet Lamb counter and couldn't believe the response. Never has a cake sold as fast as this one. Everyone was obsessing over it regardless of their diet, in fact I think the majority of people buying slices were non-vegan.

The best thing about this cake is there's no weird and wonderful ingredients that call for a trip to the local health food store, everything can be bought at any supermarket and if you enjoy baking you'll probably have most of the ingredients to hand anyway.  Make sure your spread is certified vegan, I used Pure but any brand will work perfectly, and you're ready to roll.

Let me know if you'd like to see more dairy free, vegan baking on here. I loved whipping this baby up!

Vegan Chocolate and Raspberry Cake
Recipe adapted from Veggie Desserts

Ingredients

• For the cake :
• 600ml unsweetened soy milk
• 1tsp lemon juice
• 300g vegan spread
• 125g golden syrup
• 350g golden caster sugar
• 550g self raising flour
• 1tsp espresso powder
• 60g cocoa powder
• 1tsp baking powder
• 100g raspberries


• For the frosting :
• 200g vegan spread
• 450g icing sugar
• 30g cocoa powder
• splash unsweetened soy milk
• raspberry jam
• raspberries to decorate

Cooking Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 175C and line two 9" springform cake tins with baking parchment.
2. In a large jug combine the soy milk and the lemon juice, stir and set aside to curdle.
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer whip the vegan spread, golden syrup and caster sugar together till nice and creamy. Turn the mixer down to the lowest setting and add in the milk, flour, cocoa, coffee and baking powder. Mix until fully combined, stir through the raspberries until evenly distributed.
4. Divide the batter between the prepared tins and bake for 30-35 minutes and a skewer inserted into the cake comes out cleanly. Cool in the tins for 10 minutes before releasing and transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
5. To make the frosting whip the vegan spread, icing sugar and cocoa powder in the bowl of an electric mixer. Wrap a tea towel around the top of your mixer to stop the mess. If your frosting is too stiff add a tiny splash of soy milk to loosen.
6. Spread a generous layer of frosting over one half of the cake followed by a good splodge of good quality raspberry jam. Top with the other cake, frost the top and decorate with fresh raspberries. 

I’m sharing this recipe with the blog challenge  #WeShouldCocoa with Tin & Thyme.

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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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Orange Drizzle Loaf

With Valentines day a mere 24 hours away, I'm feeling the love in the air and the romance in the water. This year I decided to join in on Food Blogger Love and share a little bit of loveliness for my fellow online foodies.  My chosen Valentine is Kelly Lynn from Kelly Lynn's Sweets & Treats. Happy chocolates and flowers day Kelly!

Kelly's blog is jammed full of tasty treats and I just loved drooling over her recipes.  For the purpose of Food Blogger Love I thought I'd whip up my take on her delicious looking Orange Loaf Cake.  My orange drizzle loaf is a bit different from Kelly's version, hers is a traditional pound cake smothered in yummy frosting where mine is a fluffy loaf soaked in an orange syrup. I think between us we've got everyones preferences covered.

I have to admit, I'm super jealous of Kelly's orange tree, imagine having a bounty of fresh fruit right in your own back yard! I'll have to make do with my local green grocer, oh well.

Drizzle cake is my absolute favorite cake in the world. Normally you attribute this style of loaf with lemon but it lends itself perfectly to any citrus fruit. I've had excellent results from lime and even grapefruit.  There's nothing like breaking through that sugary crust and letting the zingy citrus sponge melt on your tongue.

Orange Drizzle Loaf

Ingredients

• For the cake:
• 250g unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 250g caster sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 250g self raising flour
• 1tsp baking powder
• 2tbsp orange zest from 2 oranges


• For the drizzle :
• juice from 2 oranges
• 250g caster sugar

Cooking Directions

1. Preheat your oven to 170C and grease and line a 2lb loaf tin.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer mix all of the cake ingredients together untill fully combined.
3. Pour batter into the prepared loaf tin and bake for 45-55 minutes until risen and springy to the touch. Allow to cool while you make the drizzle.
4. Stir together the sugar and orange juice, once combined pour over the loaf and leave to cool in the tin for 2 hours or overnight.
5. Once cool, use a sharp knife to release the edged of the cake from the tin and remove. Slice and enjoy. 

An InLinkz Link-up

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Matcha and Raspberry Cupcakes

There's a bit of a theme with the tea based recipes here, I promise I'll give you a break after this one but I just couldn't hold it in any longer.  I love a cup of green tea, the health benefits are off the charts. It helps with bloating, is packed with antioxidants, boosts metabolism and lowers cholesterol.  Matcha is the heavy hitting big brother of a normal cup of green tea, and boy is it delicious.  I don't drink coffee so a matcha latte is my favourite go to drink when we're out and about.  We'll not mention the Starbucks version though, godawful!

I was gifted a pot of ceremonial grade matcha tea from The Tea Makers a while ago, and I just couldn't bring myself to drink it. It's like killing a unicorn.  So, instead I decided to incorporate it into some recipes and share the joys of matcha tea with my friends and family.  First up I baked up a batch of matcha and raspberry cupcakes and boy are they something special.  I fed them to my boyfriends bandmates and they went wild, something I was just not expecting from a bunch of hairy musicians.  I was overjoyed, these cupcakes are gold medal winners.

Matcha has a bit of an earthy undertone, which I personally love, but it's not for everyone.  With that in mind I decided to fill the cakes with a sweet and sticky raspberry jam to balance out the flavour.  It worked perfectly, matcha and raspberry are a match made in heaven.

I picked up these adorable matcha pocky from my local Asian supermarket for less than £1, and you can get freeze dried raspberries from Waitrose and Amazon.  

Matcha Green Tea and Raspberry Cupcakes

Ingredients

• For the cupcakes:
• 175g (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 175g (3/4 cup) caster sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 175g (1.5 cups) self raising flour
• 1tsp baking powder
• 2tbsp matcha green tea powder
• 50ml whole milk
• 1 jar of good quality raspberry jam


• For the frosting:
• 125g (1/2 cup) unsalted butter at room temperature
• 250g (2 cups) icing sugar
• 1/2tbsp matcha green tea powder
• 2tbsp whole milk
• freeze dried raspberries to decorate
• green tea pocky cut in thirds 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, the baking powder and matcha 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, matcha powder and the milk. Turn the mixer on low and gradually increase the speed. Whip for 5 minutes, if the frosting looks too stiff add a touch more milk until you reach a nice piping consistency.


5. One the cupcakes have cooled take an apple corer or a small knife and hollow out the center of each cupcake and fill with raspberry jam. Fill a piping bag, fitted with an open star nozzle, with the matcha frosting and pipe a cute swirl on each cake. Sprinkle with the freeze fried raspberries and top with 2 pieces of the pocky. 

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