Apple with Spice & All Things Nice!

You know how it is I’m sure, you look in the fruit bowl and some of the fruit has passed its best. Normally for me this is bananas, but today it happened to be a few green apples. Peeled, cored and chopped, those apples were perfectly fine for stewing up into applesauce for these cupcakes. Applesauce gives the sponge a lovely moistness and each flavour complements each other perfectly here in this bake. It never ceases to amaze me how one ingredient that is passed its prime can influence a bake, such as the apples from my fruit bowl.

Applesauce & Cinnamon Cupcakes

Makes 12

Ingredients
100g (4 oz) softened unsalted butter
100g (4 oz) caster (superfine) sugar
100g (4 oz) self-raising (self-rising) flour
2 large eggs
100g (4 oz) unsweetened applesauce
75g (3 oz) raisins
1tsp ground cinnamon
1 small red sweet apple, thinly sliced
2 tbsp granulated sugar

You will need a 12 holed muffin tin lined with paper cupcake cases

Method

Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan oven 160°C/350°C/Gas mark 4. Place the butter, caster sugar in a mixing bowl and beat until light and fluffy. Add one egg at a time and beat until fully combined into the mixture. Fold the flour, cinnamon, raisins and applesauce, into the creamed mixture. Spoon the mixture into the paper cupcake cases. Lay the apple slices on top and sprinkle with a little granulated sugar on each cupcake. Bake for 25 minutes or until golden in colour and baked through. Leave to cool in the tin for 5 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely, or you could serve these cupcakes warm with lashings of custard for dessert.

Lastly sit back chill out, serve yourself a cupcake, you absolutely deserve a treat!!

Wishing all my dear friends across the pond – A Happy 4th July!!!

What Could Be More Girly Than Pink Cupcakes?

For the Princess’s amongst us.

Marshmallow Fluff was the inspirational ingredient behind me creating these cupcakes. I aimed for a truly girly cupcake here, for the entire Princess’s amongst us.

I have been curious as to what Marshmallow Fluff is, having seen it in many American recipes. Well you know what they say about “curiosity killed the cat”, well, I went in search on the net for any recipes I could make this from scratch, and I am glad to report I found one. It wasn’t difficult to make having used my stand mixer to whip everything up into a mass of white fluffiness. It did make more than I required for this recipe, but the remainder can be frozen or stored in the fridge.

The sponge is a chocolate one *oh yes I aim to please*, which is light and airy, the centre of each cupcake is filled with marshmallow fluff and finally a smooth piped pink buttercream and girly sprinkles on top, what more could any Princess inside of us ask for? Oh well yes I’m quite aware, girls can never have enough shoes or handbags but I’m talking cupcakes here *smile*.

Go forth Princess’s and create your own Girly Pink Cupcakes.

Homemade Marshmallow Fluff

Filled with marshmallow fluff

Girly Pink Cupcakes

Makes 12

Ingredients

For The Cupcakes

150g (5 oz) self-raising flour
25g (1oz) cocoa powder

1½ level tsp baking powder

175g (6 oz) butter, softened

175g (6 oz) caster (superfine) sugar

3 large eggs

2 tbsp milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

For The Filling

Marshmallow Fluff – store brought or homemade from scratch

Buttercream Icing

175g (6 oz) butter, softened

350g (12 oz) icing (confectioners) sugar, sifted

1-2 tbsp milk

½ tsp vanilla extract

Edible pink food colouring

Sprinkle(s) for decoration

You will also require a 12 holed muffin tin lined with 12 paper muffin cases

Method

If making the Marshmallow Fluff from scratch here is the recipe link.

If making Light Corn Syrup here is the recipe link.

Preheat the oven to 180°C/Fan oven 160°C/350°F/Gas mark 4.

Sift the self-raising flour, baking powder and cocoa powder into a large bowl, and then add the butter, caster sugar, eggs, milk and vanilla extract. Beat together until mixed, trying not to over mix the mixture. Spoon the mixture equally into the prepared paper cases and bake in the preheated oven for about 20 - 25 minutes or until the tops spring back when lightly pressed. Leave to cool in the tin for 5 minutes then turn out to completely cool on a wire rack.

Once the cupcakes are fully cold, cut a little cone shape out of the top centre of each cupcake and fill with marshmallow fluff. (Bakers treat - sponge cone you can eat.) Leave the cupcakes aside on a wire rack for later.

Place the softened butter in a large mixing bowl and gradually add the icing sugar a little at a time to the butter, beating continuously. Continue until all the sugar is blended in. Beat until the icing is pale and fluffy. Beat in the milk and vanilla extract until well combined. Add pink food colouring to colour the buttercream. Scoop the buttercream into a piping bag with a star tip and pipe swirls on the tops of the cupcakes. Sprinkle over your choice of sprinkle(s).

Notes; ensure your butter is soft enough as this is an all-in-one-method for the sponge mixture. To ensure a feather light sponge, do not over mix the sponge mixture too much. To make certain of flat tops to cupcakes, fill only ¾ quarts full with mixture. You will only need a little pink food colouring added at a time – remember you can always add more if need be.

Girly Pink Cupcakes

Lastly sit back and treat yourself to one of these Girly Pink Cupcakes and think of nothing more than being a Princess for the day!

Vanilla Cupcakes ~ Sweet & Simple Bakes Monthly Baking Event!

Vanilla Cupcakes

Its springtime and this is my favourite time of the year in England. As I glance out of my window, colours of exploding beautiful blossoms are on view, showing light pinks from my ornamental plum trees, to a deeper pink on my large shrub bush, then white from my pear tree, who could wish for more I ask myself? Another season of awaking brings new life to us once again.

To mark this event of springtime for this month’s bake at ‘Sweet and Simple Bakes Monthly Baking Event’ I selected a recipe to hopefully reflect this in colourful Vanilla Cupcakes. This is an easy bake it’s an all-in-one- method for the sponge. The trick here is to ensure your butter is soft enough to blend in quickly with all the other ingredients. These cupcakes taste wonderful with a buttery vanilla sponge, following a creamy delightful vanilla buttercream topping - just like momma used to make!

Vanilla Cupcakes

Makes 12

Ingredients
175g (6 oz) self-raising flour
1½ level tsp baking powder
175g (6 oz) butter, softened
175g (6 oz) caster (superfine) sugar
3 large eggs
2 tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
Buttercream Icing
150g (5 oz) butter, softened
300g (11 oz) icing (confectioners) sugar, sifted
1 tbsp milk
¼ tsp vanilla extract
Edible food colouring(s) of choice, optional
Sprinkle(s) for decoration of choice

You will also require a 12 holed muffin tin lined with 12 paper muffin cases

Method

Preheat the oven to 180°C/Fan oven 160°C/350°F/Gas mark 4. Sift the self-raising flour and baking powder into a large bowl, and then add the butter, caster sugar, eggs, milk and vanilla extract. Beat together until mixed, trying not to over mix the mixture. Spoon the mixture equally into the prepared paper cases and bake in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes or until the tops spring back when lightly pressed. Leave to cool in the tin for 5 minutes then turn out to completely cool on a wire rack.

To make the buttercream, beat the butter until soft. Add the icing sugar and stir until it’s just mixed in, then add the milk and vanilla and beat until light and fluffy. Divide into as many bowls as you want different colour(s) and add edible food colouring (you only require a few drops). This is purely optional should you wish to leave out the edible food colouring(s) and keep the buttercream natural. Spread the icing on thickly with a palette knife on top of each cupcake or put the icing into a piping back and make a large swirl on top of each cupcake. Decorate each cupcake with your chosen sprinkle(s).

Top tip for this bake; ensure your butter is soft enough for mixing as this is an all-in-one-method for the sponge mixture. To ensure a feather light sponge, do not over mix the sponge mixture too much.

Lastly, sit back, relax and arm yourself with a cupcake and take a tongue tingling lick of this velvet soft vanilla buttercream, savour, then nibble your way through to the moist vanilla sponge underneath.... mmmmmm....my suggestion of how to eat a good cupcake!

Please do call by Sweet and Simple Bakes and view the round-up of our other bakers. If you fancy joining in our next monthly bake, we would be most delighted to have you bake with us – everyone is welcome!

Oatmeal & Chocolate Chip Cookies ~ Sweet & Simple Bakes

I just couldn’t possibly let Sweet and Simple Bakes Monthly Baking Event pass by without posting my cookies I had previously baked before my recent back hindrance. I had to let you know just how great these cookies are didn’t I !?

This month was Maria’s turn to provide the recipe for all S&SB bakers to bake. I was overjoyed when it turned out to be cookies and chocolate added anywhere into a bake has to have the full thumbs up from me! The recipe was easy to follow and turned out faultlessly - WOW- what a fabulous tasty treat these cookies turned out to be. The cookie tin was empty in no time, and I also noticed one or two cookies being sneaked passed me at a time to be tuck into with joyous sounds of mmmmmmm, these are good!!

Please do call by Sweet and Simple Bakes and view the round-up of our other bakers; also if you fancy joining in our monthly bake, we would be most delighted to have you bake with us – everyone is welcome!

Oatmeal and Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

110g (4oz) butter, softened

110g (4oz) caster sugar

110g (4oz) soft brown sugar

1 egg

2 tbsp water

1 tsp vanilla extract

250g (9oz) porridge oats

110g (4oz) self-raising flour

1 level tsp salt

110g (4oz) chocolate chips, raisins or chopped nuts

Method

Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F), Gas Mark 4.

Cream the butter in a large bowl or in an electric food mixer until soft. Add the sugars and beat until the mixture is light and fluffy. Add the egg, water and vanilla extract while still beating. Reduce the speed and gently mix in the oats, flour, salt and raisins to form a dough. Using your hands, roll the dough into walnut sized balls and place slightly apart on two baking trays. Bake in the oven for 12-25 minutes or until light golden brown but still slightly soft in the centre. Allow to cool on the trays for a minute before transferring to a wire rack to cool.

Lastly, sit back and relax whilst you arm yourself with a cookie and a glass of cold milk, simply enjoy the little pleasures in life – oh absolutely divine!!

Luck O The Irish!

May the Irish hills caress you.
May her lakes and rivers bless you.
May the luck of the Irish enfold you.
May the blessings of Saint Patrick behold you.

In the wonderful lush green land of the Emerald Isle where leprechauns, fairies, shamrocks, shalaly sticks and the Blarney Stone exist, come two other great products from Ireland being Bailey’s Irish Cream liqueur and Guinness.

Being St Patrick’s Day this coming Tuesday, I have been busy creating cupcakes for this occasion to share with you! Everything is baked from scratch, which hopefully you have come to expect from Baking Cakes Galore. I felt this year the need to incorporate both Guinness, and Bailey’s Irish Cream liqueur in my celebration bake. Being a chocoholic also *I’m sure you know which route I’m going down here*, I acquaint you with Chocolate Guinness Cupcakes with a lush Bailey’s Frosting.

Now don’t be alarmed by the mixture prior to baking being very loose and liquidly, it is supposed to be like this, and makes for a very light sponge cupcake(s) to sink your teeth into. The icing is a Bailey’s cream cheese affair and depending on personal taste as to how much Bailey’s is added.

Chocolate Guinness Cupcakes with Bailey’s Frosting

Makes 12 normal sized cupcakes

Ingredients
150g (5 oz) plain flour
50g (2 oz) cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
150g (5 oz) caster sugar
50g (2 oz) light brown sugar
100g (4 oz) butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs, lightly beaten
50ml (2fl oz) sour cream
150ml (5 fl oz) Guinness
For The Bailey’s Frosting
100g (4 oz) butter, softened
225g (8 oz) Philadelphia cream cheese
225g (8 oz) icing sugar
2 – 4 tbsp Bailey’s Irish Cream Liqueur
Decorations (optional)
Edible green glitter
Green sugar shamrocks

You will need a 12 small holed muffin tin lined with 12 paper cases.

Method

Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/350°F/Gas mark 4.

Sift the flour, baking powder, cocoa powder baking powder into a bowl and leave aside for later. Beat the butter with both white and brown sugar until light and fluffy in colour and texture. Add a little of the beaten egg at a time and beat in well with each addition. Beat in the vanilla extract until combined fully into the mixture. Add the sour cream and beat well in until incorporated then add the Guinness a little at a time beating well in with each addition. Fold through the flour mixture gently with a large spatula or metal spoon until fully incorporated. Divide the mixture (which will be loose and liquidly) equally between the prepared cupcake paper cases. *I used a metal scoop to divide the mixture*.

Place the filled muffin tray into the prepared oven and bake for 15 – 20 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Take out of the oven and leave to cool in the muffin tin for 5 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to completely cool.

For The Bailey’s Frosting: In a bowl beat the butter and cream cheese together until fluffy and smooth then add the icing sugar beating this in until smooth. Add a little at a time the Bailey’s Liqueur until you have the required strength of booziness to suit your taste. *Note: if too much Liqueur is added the frosting may become too loose to pipe.*

Fill a piping bag and pipe the top of each cupcake with the frosting, or spread the frosting on each cupcake with a spatula. Sprinkle over the edible glitter and green sugar shamrocks, (optional).

Lastly, sit back, relax, and sink your teeth into this wonderful delight you have baked from scratch!

Wishing you all a lovely weekend – I am planning on a little light shopping tomorrow with Mr R. Sunday if you take a peek, I will be found in my kitchen cooking and baking! I have “The Cake Slice Bakers”, bake to create ready for our annual posting day.

Red Nose Day Cupcakes 09!

It’s been a busy two days for me since my last post, and I can’t fathom why, you know how it is at times I am sure. I did make sure I had time to squeeze in this little bake to celebrate Red Nose Day 09 with the official day being this Friday.

Red Nose Day, for anyone who is not familiar with this British event, its a day like no other. Fundraising takes part for instance in offices, homes, schools etc across the U.K. Each year sprinkle in a new read nose(s) to wear to boost funds and put it in a mixing pot with favourite celebrities getting up to all kinds of mischief across the nation, then add a fantastic night of comedy on B.B.C. television and here you have Red Nose Day. This event is all in aid of fighting poverty at home and abroad!

Anyone care to lick the runny icing????

These little Red Nose Cupcakes are my own invention. I aimed to make half of the cakes with funny faces for the children and the other half for the adults. Mind you, it must be the child in me because I know which one I reached for and it wasn’t the plain one *giggle*....... The cupcakes are almond flavoured sponge topped with runny icing and half a red glacé cherry. The faces were created by using writing icing tubes found in a local supermarket.

Just look at those cute faces... bawhahahahaha...

To recreate my Red Nose Day Cupcakes here is my recipe.

Red Nose Day Cupcakes

Makes 12 small cupcakes

Ingredients
75g (3 oz) plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
25g (1 oz) ground almonds
100g (4 oz) butter, softened
100g (4 oz) caster sugar
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 tsp almond extract
2 tbsp milk – *you may not require it all*
For The Icing
100g (4 oz) icing sugar, sifted
Approximately 1 tbsp water – *see below in method*
6 red glacé cherries, cut in half
Various coloured writing icing tubes
12 small paper cupcake cases

You will need a 12 small holed muffin tray lined with 12 paper cases.

Method

Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/350°f/Gas mark 4.

Sift the flour and baking powder together and mix in the ground almonds then leave aside for later. Beat the butter with the sugar until light and fluffy in colour and texture. Add a little of the beaten egg at a time and beat in well with each addition. Beat in the almond extract until combined fully into the mixture. Fold through the flour mixture gently with a large spatula or metal spoon until fully incorporated. Add a little of the milk at a time folding through gently until you have a good dropping consistency.

Spoon the mixture with equal amounts into each cupcake case then place into the preheated oven. Bake for 15 - 20minutes until nicely golden on top or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Leave in the tray to cool for 5 minutes before turning out to cool completely on a wire rack.

To Make The Icing; add the sifted icing sugar to a bowl starting with a few drops of water and mixing through thoroughly adding a little more water until you have a runny icing but thick enough to coat the sponge tops. Take a teaspoon of icing at a time and cover each cupcake top. Place a red glacé cherry in the middle of each iced cake. With the icing tubes make funny faces, cover half as I have and leave half plain or make faces of all the cupcakes. Leave to set a little while before eating.

Lastly, charge consumers for the privilege of eating one of your delicious cupcakes and raise funds for a great cause - Think Red Nose Day!

Aphrodite’s Love Potion Cupcakes - Ooh La La.....!!

I love you

Ich liebe Dich

Je t'aime

S' ayapo

Ti amo

Te amo

Oh yes L-O-V-E is in the air, it’s ♥Valentine’s Day♥ today when ♥Cupid ♥that little love rascal, draws his bow, aims and fires his stream of arrows and brings amour to people around the world. On this day hopefully, loved ones will be showered with gifts by their beloved to display their affections be it with, flowers, chocolates, champagne, cards, or romantic meal just for two or even baking something special for them. I find that showing your loved one in your life you’ve baked something unique for them is very personal and romantic. It’s baked with love from your heart and this could be in the form of a heart shaped cake, cupcakes, cookies, just let your imagination take control.

For Valentine’s Day this year I have started wooing my amour "Mr R" with a batch of my own “Aphrodite’s Love Potion Cupcakes”! I hope you like the name of my cupcakes? I chose Aphrodite because she is the mythological Greek Goddess of love and beauty!

Today I am sharing with you my recipe for these cupcakes, which have a gorgeous vanilla sponge with added chunks of white chocolate suspended through and with a luscious Swiss meringue buttercream frosting. The decorations are personal preference and of course opt for whatever sprinkles etc you wish – just let the love flow and bake from the heart!

Aphrodite’s Love Potion Cupcakes - Ooh La La.....!!

Aphrodite’s Love Potion Cupcakes

Aphrodite’s Love Potion Cupcakes- Ooh La La.....!!

Makes approx 19 cupcakes

Ingredients

225g (8 oz) softened unsalted butter

225g (8 oz) caster (superfine) sugar

4 eggs, lightly beaten1

½ tsp vanilla extract

Approx 6 tbsp milk – you may need less

225g (8 oz) plain (all purpose) flour

2 tsp baking powder

Pinch of salt

100g (4 oz) white chocolate chips

For The Swiss Meringue Frosting

300g (11 oz) softened unsalted butter

75g (3 oz) vegetable shortening – I use Trex

300g (11 oz) caster (superfine) sugar

5 large egg whites

2 tbsp golden syrup or light corn syrup

Pinch of salt

1¼ tsp vanilla extract

Edible pink food colouring paste (optional)

Decorations

Sprinkles, sugar flowers, sprinkling sugar –or own preference

**You will require 2 muffin trays lined with 19 paper-cases, a sugar thermometer for the frosting recipe and a piping bag with a star shaped tip**.

Method

Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/350°f/Gas mark 4. Sift the flour and baking powder together and leave aside for later. Beat the butter with the sugar until light and fluffy in colour and texture. Add a little of the beaten egg at a time and beat in well with each addition. Beat in the vanilla extract until combined fully into the mixture. Fold through the flour gently with a large spatula or metal spoon until fully incorporated. Add a little of the milk at a time folding through gently until you have a good dropping consistency then lastly fold through the chocolate chips. Spoon the mixture with equal amounts into each muffin case then place into the preheated oven. Bake for 20-25 minutes until nicely golden on top or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Leave in the trays to cool for 5 minutes before turning out to cool completely.

To make the Swiss Buttercream Frosting: I used a stand mixer for this – cream the butter and vegetable shortening until light and fluffy in colour and texture, but not too soft. Place the mixture into another bowl and leave aside for later. Wash the mixing bowl from the stand mixer ready for later. Place a saucepan with water onto simmer, in a heat proof bowl combine the butter, sugar, golden syrup or light corn syrup, egg whites and pinch of salt into the bowl and place on top of the simmering saucepan. Keep stirring frequently until all the sugar granules have dissolved and the temperature on the sugar thermometer reads 60°C/140°F. Using an electric mixer with the whisk attachment whip the egg white mixture in a clean bowl on a medium to medium high setting until the outside of the mixture bowl feels just cool enough to touch. The mixture will look white and fluffy and very thick. Add the butter mixture and vanilla and whisk again on a medium setting until the frosting is smooth, creamy and almost resembles whipped double cream. Dived the mixture equally , if using coloured frosting, into two separate bowls and add a little edible colour paste to one and stir through to make a pink frosting. Place the white icing into a piping bag fitted with a star nozzle and pipe the tops of half the cupcake batch with the white frosting add sprinkles of choice. Wash and thoroughly dry the piping bag and nozzle and fill with the pink frosting and continue to pipe the tops of the remaining cupcakes and add sprinkles of choice. Enjoy!

♥Wishing you a very romantic Valentine’s Day and may your day be filled with amour too♥– Rosie x