Cupcake Craziness

This week has been a week of meetings, cupcakes, work, cupcakes, fete, AND cupcakes! I simply adore cupcakes but this has been a little much and I will be happy not to make another late-night or early-morning cupcake for a few weeks.  My little ladybug has also taken to skipping around the house singing the word "cake" so you can see how much cake has featured in our lives, this week!

Thursday afternoon marked our annual school fete.  As is now 'tradition' (or my personal tradition, at least),  my class was responsible for the cake stall.  Even though I knew this was going to be THE craziest week at work, I just couldn't help but get excited about planning my baking.  So I used A moment on the lips... as my recipe book and here's what happened...

Whole Orange Cupcakes with Zesty Cream Cheese Frosting

I used my Orange Cake recipe and baked the cupcakes for 20 minutes.  They turned out perfectly.  Take care not to overcook, however, as they'll get dry very quickly.  The sharpness of the frosting cuts through the sweet orange beautifully.

Sticky Date Cupcakes with Vanilla Buttercream and a Salted Caramel Drizzle

Sticky Date is my all time favourite dessert and these cupcakes completely did it justice.  Again, I used my Sticky Date Cake recipe and baked for 20 minutes.  They were light and spongy like a steamed pudding - beyond amazing! This is the buttercream recipe and I used the caramel sauce that I drizzle over the top of my Salted Caramel Cheesecake.

Chocolate Sponge with Chocolate Whipped Cream and Sprinkles

The only Chocolate Cake recipe I ever use is my Mum's because it's the best.  The batter is ridiculous and you have to make sure that you employ some self control so that you manage to get some cake into the oven!  These were topped with chocolate whipped cream and sprinkle because they make me smile.  

White Chocolate Mud Cupcakes with Vanilla Buttercream

This is such a lovely recipe that works every time and is absolute heaven for white chocolate lovers....mmmm.  The cupcakes take a lot longer to bake than the others (45 minutes) but would still be worth it if they took 45 hours!  Cupcakes like this make people happy.

They looked amazing all packaged up and the rush was on to get in quickly enough to purchase a box of loveliness!

I urge you to try at least one of these wonderful recipes and let me know all about your beautiful baking adventures!

F. x

Final days of freedom...

So I have one more day of school holidays and then it's nose back to the grindstone.  This means that I have to make the most of the short amount of 'free' time that remains.  This means, hello Dark Chocolate and Peanut Butter Cupcakes with Chocolate Whipped Cream Frosting.  What a mouthful!  And a lovely mouthful it is. I borrowed this recipe (it's not stealing if I reference it, now is it?) from The Cupcake Project, so won't rewrite it here but if you click on the link, you will find the recipe.

Just looking at these darlings make me happy!  They are everything a cupcake should be - petite, delicate and adorable with their little swirl of frosting.  These have that childhood appeal of peanut butter and the depth created by the chunks of dark chocolate.  The light, airy whipped cream frosting is a perfect compliment to this dense cupcake and looks a treat too.  This is a fantastic substitute for those who are not particular fans of buttercream or who are looking for a lighter frosting.  It is not overly sweet which means that it doesn't take over the flavour of the cupcake.  Whipped cream frosting pipes beautifully and is perfect for both small, delicate cupcakes and larger, layered cakes.

Chocolate Whipped Cream Frosting

1 cup thickened cream (full fat)

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 tbsp cocoa, sifted

4 tbsp icing sugar, sifted

Whip your cream with an electric mixer to stiff peaks.  Keep mixing as you add the vanilla, cocoa powder and icing sugar.  Stop mixing when ingredients have just come together. This can then be piped onto cakes.

This recipe can be modified easily for Strawberry or Raspberry whipped cream.  It's quick and easy and looks fantastic.  Not to mention, perfect for school lunches.  Sigh.

F. x