Belated Birthday Chocolate Cupcakes with Salted Caramel Frosting

It’s this time of year that I use momentum when it comes to my blog. If you look at past years December always has the least amount of posts. I am forcing myself right now to write this post because just like in the past I am finding it hard to motivate myself to blog. It’s not because I’m busy, but because my priorities change.

One of these priorities is the amount of baking I do for birthdays! This month is full of birthdays. The people I tend to bake for have favorites and so have already been blogged, but it leaves me little room for other baking aka new things to blog!

My father-in-law this year didn't have a preference so he left it up to me. I choose to make him chocolate cupcakes, as I know he has a love for chocolate cake!

These particular cupcakes are a very soft crumbly cake with a kick of coffee flavor that enhances the chocolate flavor. The frosting is also one of the best frosting's I have made in a while; even if I messed up the Salted Caramel.

It’s messed up because I didn't let the caramel caramelize enough. It starts looking a bit amber and I whipped it off the stove because I didn't want it to burn. I ended up with light lack luster caramel. It was still really tasty! The frosting had a nice vanilla/caramel taste that complimented the chocolate cake very well.

Chocolate Cupcakes

185g unsalted butter

185g dark chocolate

1 ½ tablespoon coffee granules

130ml of water

3 large eggs

2 tablespoons sunflower oil

100ml buttermilk

110g self-rising flour

110g plain flour

45g cocoa powder

½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

300g golden caster sugar

Heat the oven fan to 170C. Melt the butter, chocolate, coffee granules, and water in a saucepan. Stirring occasionally until completely melted then take it off the heat.

Mix the eggs, oil, and butter milk together in the bowl of a free standing mixer or large bowl.

Gradually add the chocolate mixture to the egg mixture.

Add both the flours, cocoa powder, bicarb, and sugar and beat until just combined.

Using an ice cream scoop fill 24 paper cases in a cupcake pan about ¾ full and bake in the heated oven for 20 minutes or until the skewer test comes out clean. Cool the cupcakes before frosting them….

Salted Caramel Frosting

300g unsalted butter, softened

500g icing sugar

½ tablespoon of fine sea salt

salted caramel (make it (below) or buy it)

Beat the butter until it’s soft, light, and fluffy. Then add in half of the icing sugar and the salt, beat until combined before adding the rest of the icing sugar. Lastly add in about half of the salted caramel sauce and beat until well combined. Fill a piping bag or just spread on top of each cupcake and enjoy! Or you could drizzle with some of the left over salted caramel or sprinkles or something.

Salted Caramel

250ml double cream

1 tsp vanilla extract

230g caster sugar

6 tbsp water

1-2 tsp sea salt flakes

In a small saucepan heat the cream and vanilla together, don’t boil. While that is warming, place the sugar and water into a larger saucepan. Bring to a boil, once it’s started to boil give it at least 5 minutes or until it will be a deep amber color. It can burn quite quickly so keep an eye on it. (This is where I always seem to mess up, I always seem to take it off the heat too soon.) Once it’s ready take it off the heat and carefully add some of the vanilla cream. Whisk it quickly and keep adding the cream little by little until all combined. If it gets lumpy just whisk as fast as you can and if that fails place it back on a low heat whisking all the time. Once it’s cooled down add the salt.
Save any leftovers in a clean/sterilized jar for up to 2 weeks in the fridge. It would be great on top of ice cream!

Question(s): 

1. Am I the only one who is nervous about burning caramel? 

2. What do you like for your birthday treat? 

I'd love to hear your answers below in the comment section! 

notes: The recipe is adapted from Jamie Oliver’s Food Tube The Cake Book by Cupcake Jemma. Next I will be making some birthday brownies for a co-worker so stay tuned!

Udi's Gluten Free Chocolate Cupcakes

These are a batch of gluten free but oh so chocolaty cupcakes!

I made these with Udi’s Chocolate Flavour Cake Mix and topped them with Sugar and Crumbs gluten free Chocolate Milkshake natural flavored icing sugar.

I thought about putting “Frosting! A butt load of frosting!” (Vanellope von Schweetz) on these cupcakes, but I don’t always like that much frosting.

Sometimes you just want cake.

Plus I have this really cool Baker’s Dusting Wand that I have wanted to try out! It totally made me feel like a baking fairy! No lie.

Udi’s Cake Mixes are a great way for people with gluten sensitivities! Just because one cannot have gluten does not mean they should miss out on cake of any kind!

This is something I feel really strongly about. 

These cupcakes have a very rich chocolate flavour and were a perfect accompaniment to my coffee.

Udi’s Chocolate Cupcakes:

1 box of Udi’s Gluten Free Rich & Delicious Chocolate Flavour Cake Mix

Plus the ingredients on the back of the box

1 tbsp of Sugar and Crumbs Milkshake flavoured Icing Sugar

Follow the baking instructions on the box for cupcakes. Then fill the magic dusting wand with icing sugar and dust away! Enjoy! 

The back of the box also has some great suggestions on how to take these cupcakes from yum to yummy. Or something like that! So, if you or someone you love or at least like has gluten sensitivities then you should brighten up their day by bringing them some of these amazing cupcakes!! 

I had way too much fun with that dusting wand! Now I will have to think of something else to use it on! 

notes: Udi’s have a great range of Gluten-Free products they launched here in the UK earlier this year. Check out the first post I did for them here and here! Also check out my instagram as I try out some of their other products! All the products (cake mix, baker’s dusting wand, and flavoured icing sugar) were sent for my review please see my contact/policy page for more details. 

Caramel Apple Cupcakes {National Cupcake Week!}

The word on the street is that it’s National Cupcake Week. Technically it starts tomorrow. 

I just thought I would warn you now because it means all of us baking junkies will be posting cupcakes on all our social media sites. 

I am not an exception so be prepared to be cupcake bombed!

The best part of cupcakes is that they take like 20 minutes to bake. Then throw some icing on top and Wa-La! Cake!

Yes, there are more complicated cupcakes out there that have many components and steps, but those are for special occasions.

These are "just because" cupcakes. But not "all the time" cupcakes. 'Cuz you know the whole in moderation thing.

Moderation is good.

These cupcakes are good. 

See how it all works out?

I used my cool cupcake corer and cupcake icing knife that OXO sent to me to try out and then I tried Sugar and Crumbs flavored icing sugar.

I chose Green Apple flavor because I wanted to make Caramel Apple Cupcakes. I wanted to make Caramel Apple Cupcakes because in the USA there is this sucker/lolly that is called a Caramel Apple Pop and it’s so good and not available here in the UK.

Hence these cupcakes!

They totally reminded me of those suckers/lollies so I am happy!

Here’s how you can be happy too!

Caramel Apple Cupcakes:

120g plain flour

140g golden caster sugar

1 ½ tsp baking powder

pinch of salt

40g unsalted butter, room temp

120ml whole milk

1 egg

¼ tsp vanilla extract

10-12 tsp caramel

Heat the oven to 170C and line your cupcake pan with 10-12 cupcake cases. Beat the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and butter until it’s a bit crumby! Combine the milk, egg, and vanilla together before gradually adding it to the crumby mixture. Once combined beat on high for a minute or two to make sure there aren’t any lumps and the mixture is smooth.

Using a trigger scoop fill each of the cupcake cases just about half way. Bake for 20-25 minutes. A skewer should come out clean. Leave to cool completely before using the Cupcake Corer to take out the middles and add about a teaspoon of the caramel to the middles. Put the sponge bit back in and top with Green Apple Icing Sugar!

Green Apple Frosting

1 pkg of Sugar and Crumbs Green Apple Flavored Icing Sugar

125g butter, room temp

1-2 tbsp of milk

Follow the instructions on the packaging.

to finish:

20-24 Dark Chocolate chunks

caramel

Put two chocolate chunks together and place on top to act an apple stem before drizzling the caramel over the top. Place in a baggie and snip the corner, but make sure the hole is small. Then drizzle on top!

notes: In association with Oxo and Sugar and Crumbs! Please see my contact/policy page for more details! Find out more about National Cupcake Week! And if you need to know what Caramel Apple Pops are just look here. I am also entering these cupcakes in Betta Living’s Betta Bake a Cupcake Competition #bettabakeoff

Oatly Espresso Cupcakes - for a real Buzz

I attended Food Blogger Connect so that I could learn more about the online foodie world I have gotten myself into! I wouldn't be anywhere else I love it here!

I do love books though; sometimes I wonder if I had put a bit more time into my book blog I would be somewhere else right now?

There isn't enough time for what-ifs and I figured I might start combining my love for food and books anyway (see my side bar for what I’m reading now)!

I’m just getting off topic this post is about Oatly… wait I haven’t gotten there yet.

At Food Blogger Connect I learned a lot and I ate a lot! In-between all the learning we had snack breaks and one of the brands there was Oatly - they were serving these amazing Coffee Shakes and delicious cinnamon rolls.

The coffee shakes were so good I kept going back for more! Oatly has a subtle oat flavor that I found refreshing and delicious; even better when paired with espresso.

Oatly is a nutritious alternative to milk. It is full of oaty goodness and made of natural ingredients no crazy additives here.

On the second day of FBC14 I started chatting with the ladies who were at the table and when I said I was a baker and would be interested in using Oatly in my baking they loaded me up with some of the product to try!

I couldn't get the Coffee Shake out of my head and so I decided to make espresso cupcakes. They turned out beautifully and had a very subtly nutty taste that just added to the flavor. One of these cupcakes could easily replace my morning cup of coffee! 

Oatly Espresso Cupcakes

20g instant espresso powder

240ml oat drink

80g margarine

280g sugar

240g plain flour

1 tbsp baking powder

¼ tsp salt

2 large eggs

Heat the oven to 190C. Line the muffin pan(s) with liners; this recipe makes more then 12.

Weigh out the espresso powder in a small saucepan then add the oat drink. Gently heat the mixture until the powder dissolves. Take off the heat.

Beat the margarine, sugar, flour, baking powder, and salt until it looks like breadcrumbs.

Add the eggs to the slightly cooled espresso oat drink and gently whisk. Combine about 1/3 of the espresso/egg mixture with the dry ingredients and beat on a low speed. Increase the speed to medium while gradually adding the rest of the milk until the batter is smooth. Using an ice cream scoop fill the liners with batter (about ¾ full) and bake for 18-20 minutes or until it springs back when gently prodded and if a skewer comes out clean. While they are cooling on a rack make the frosting.

frosting

50ml creamy oat

16g instant espresso powder

250g icing sugar

80g margarine

Like the cupcakes weigh out the espresso powder in a small saucepan before adding the cream and heat just long enough to dissolve the espresso powder without boiling it, like I did the first time because one of my children were bleeding from a small cut after stepping on a rock. It smells burnt if you boil it and then you have to start again. Once it’s done right set it aside to cool

Beat the icing sugar and margarine together to look like breadcrumbs, and then gradually add the espresso cream to taste. Once it’s to your liking increase the speed and beat until lighter in color and spread-able.

to finish

Optional toppings- chocolate covered coffee beans or chocolate sprinkles

Using a pallet knife scoop some frosting on top of the cooled cupcake and spread evenly and then top with chosen topping.

I still have some Chocolate Oatly and an alternative to single cream left to use up so who knows what I’ll make next? I mean really I haven’t thought of anything to use it for so it’ll be just as a surprise for me as it is for you!

If you’re looking for Oatly it’s found in Waitrose, big Sainsbury’s and Tesco, or Holland & Barrett. The full range of products can be found online. I really want to try the Chai Oat Drink. I love chai as much as I love espresso.

notes: If you want to see what I learned at FBC14 check my post here! If you follow me on Twitter you’ll have seen my love for books in my tweets for #bookadayuk or #fridayreads I love to talk books so tweet me if you’re reading a good one! If you are interested to learn more about Oatly visit their website they are nice people. I was given the product to try, but I was not asked to post about it. Please see my contact/policy page for further information. The recipe is adapted from hummingbird bakery Cake Days. 

Dear Blog, (3)

Dear Blog It’s your birthday! 

I hope you didn't think I’d forgotten! I haven’t and am writing this post to have a look back at the last year with you!

I thought I would do the usual bakers dozen of links remincising of the past last year. 

Where to start? I know, how about where we left off last year….

1. Last summer I made White “Witch” Ice Cream for a Chronicles of Narnia competition. It was white chocolate ice cream with home made Turkish Delight folded in. It was actually really good. It was a shame I didn't win.
2. I made a week of yummy treats all based on Cadbury chocolates! Like PicnicDoodle Salad, Double Decker Pillow Cookies, Star Bar Cake, Cherry Ripe Cupcakes, and Curly Wurly Brownies.
3. We also took a trip up to Scotland to visit family and I made Cranachan Cupcakes while up there! Inspired by the Scottish dessert Cranachan. 
4. I made my first YouTube video again for a competition, once again I didn't win, but it was an experience and it taught me not to let my husband be the video recorder.
5. The Apple Pie Ice Cream I made in the fall was A-Mazing I don’t know why it didn't get more views? Who doesn't want Apple Pie Ice Cream?
6. In the New Year I made a resolution to use up the baking things I had in my magical baking cupboard. So, I made Mince Pie Biscuits!
7. I made a few cakes for my local Clandestine Cake Club, but the Killer Zebra Cake and a Cherry Garcia Cake were my favorite over the last year!
8. FINALLY, I successfully made fried doughnuts!
9. Homemade Double Deckers proved to be a bit of a challenge and were a bit chewy, but totally worth the extra effort!
10. We had a lot of fun meeting Johnny of Johnny Cupcakes at his 3 year anniversary in London.
11. The Brownie Quest I was on is now pretty much over. I found, in my opinion, the best and most versatile brownie recipe ever. Try it and then we can talk.
12. I blogged everyday in May which was an interesting challenge. It took me out of my comfort foodie zone and made me talk about different things.
13. Last but not least I attended Food Blogger Connect last week and on top of learning a lot of stuff I meet some really cool people!!

This last year was a year of experiences. Not just in my bloggy world, but in my real life too. Growing up is hard to do.

Things will continue to change, because things are always changing. We can’t stop it I've tried! I mean my littlest is starting full time school in September. How did that happen?

I’m also taking a much needed, long-time coming trip home to my family! USA here I come! It will be quiet here in United Cakedom while I am away, but don’t worry I have a few things brewing!

Then when I get back and the girls are settled in school, I will have to answer the big question: What do I want to be when I grow up?

When I find the answer I will let you know!

So, dear blog until next year! Love you, Lisa 

My Little Pony Birthday Cupcakes!

A while back I shared with you some delicious Elvis cupcakes that were topped with Elvis cupcake toppers, made by Birthday Cake Toppers. (website is MIA) When they sent me the Elvis ones they also sent me My Little Pony Friendship is Magic cupcake toppers.

One may think that I had asked for these cupcake toppers for my daughters, but truth be told, I love that show. I saved them so I could use them for my birthday cupcakes. 

It’s a very clever and entertaining show that still has values. Everything a good show, cartoon or not should have.

Yes, I am a 30-something who loves a cartoon about ponies. In fact I wish my girls liked it more so I had someone to watch it with me.

I mean they will watch the odd episode; perhaps they are too young for an all out My Little Pony marathon.

However they weren't too young to appreciate these cupcakes. I made them for us for my birthday 2 Friday's ago. Again because my birthday was a busy day I used Betty Crocker Lemon Cupcake box mix. But please feel free to use your favorite cupcake recipe. Flavors and colors could be adjusted to your favorite pony etc... 

It’s not like I have made my love for the show a secret. I have made some My Little Pony Friendship is magic inspired treats in the past like – Rainbow Dash’s Rainbow Jellies, Fluttershy’s Spring Time Cupcakes, and Apple Jack’s Apple Pies from Sweet Apple Acres. 

All of those posts were from 2012. It's funny how I blog has changed.Also I never finished my goal of making something inspired by each main pony. Still have Twilight Sparkle, Pinkie Pie, and Rarity. Guess I have to get brainstorming! 

Do you watch the show? Who is your favorite Pony? Please leave a comment below I do like discussing the show!

notes: The edible cupcake toppers were provided for me to review. All opinions are my own. If you are interested in cake toppers please check out their site here. If you don’t see what you’re after just ask them and they will do their best. They can also use a personal photo. Betty Crocker have nothing to do with this post what so ever. Here are the Elvis Cupcakes

How to use up leftover Chocolate {Post Easter Post}

It’s not very often that I have the problem of having so much chocolate I don’t know what to do with it.

Unless of course it’s a popular National Holiday! My whole family received an abundance of chocolate this weekend.  

So, I thought like my “How to use up leftover Candy {Post Halloween Post} I would share a way to use up all those Easter eggs.

I was brainstorming a few ideas of ways to use up the inevitable excessive amount of chocolate we were surely to receive. I wasn't disappointed! We had chocolate in the shape of eggs, bunnies, and lambs! But until I knew what sort of chocolate I’d have leftover I waited to decide on what to make!

Then I received an egg with Caramel Truffles and bought my girls ones with Rainbow Chocolate Buttons and thought cupcakes!

So, I put the truffles inside the cupcakes and used the buttons as decoration. I then used the chocolate eggs in the cake and the frosting!

I could totally survive out in the wild with the skills I have to use up everything in my possession!

Milk Chocolate Cupcakes

40g unsalted butter, softened

140g golden caster sugar

120g self-rising flour

1tsp baking powder

100ml double cream

1 medium egg

100g Milk Chocolate Easter Egg, melted

Pre-heat oven to 170C/325F/gas3 and line your cupcake pan with 8-10 liners.

Beat the butter, sugar, flour, and baking powder until it looks like sand. Add half of the cream and mix until just combined. Add the rest along with the egg and melted chocolate and beat until just combined.

Place a heaped dessertspoon full of batter into each case, then place a truffle the middle of each case squishing down a little so the batter touches the sides. The place another heaped dessertspoon on top. I just made sure the top and bottom batter touched around the truffle before placing in the oven and baking for 25 minutes. A skewer test won’t work here if placed in the middle, as you will get the gooey truffle. Around the edges should give you an idea. Place on a rack to cool, but be careful the truffles do sink to the bottom and the caramel could leak out and could burn you. While cooling make the...

Milk Chocolate Frosting:

210g unsalted butter, softened

150g icing sugar

1 tbsp double cream

100g Milk Chocolate Easter Egg, melted

Beat the butter until smooth, and then add the icing sugar and double cream. Once it’s smooth you can add the melted chocolate and mix until combined.

to finish:

Milk Chocolate Frosting

Rainbow Chocolate Buttons

Using a spatula frost the cupcakes and decorate with the buttons.

Enjoy!

I should have stuck with a recipe I was more comfortable with for the cupcakes. They turned out good and edible, both a bonus. It just wasn't what I wanted; we are always our own worst critics.

The tops sunk, which may have been me, I turned them around to try to achieve a more even bake. Which I left out of the instructions, so you don’t have the same thing happen to you! I made 10, but I think I would have been better to make 9.

The frosting, I’m not going to lie, I just winged it. It was pretty buttery. 

I haven’t done a proper shop since I got back from Scotland and I had very little icing sugar so I have given you how I made the frosting, but please feel free to use your favorite tried and tested chocolate frosting!

notes: The chocolate caramel egg was provided for me by Sainsbury's (c.2104), the other I bought, please see my contact/policy page above for further information. Recipe was adapted from Jo Wheatley’s A Passion for Baking. Which I reviewed here! For another way to use up leftover holiday treats see my Leftover Halloween Candy Rocky Road!  

Elvis is Alive!

He isn't alive in the same way as you or I are alive, but he has maintained a form of immortality. As long as his music/movies are still around and people still listen/watch it, then he is living through all of us.

My parents had a full collection of all his music, so I grew up listening to Elvis. My favorite song is Kentucky Rain; it was on all my mix tapes before Napster arrived and then it was on my mix CD’s.

Anyhow I used to get funny looks when I had my "old" country Elvis songs were mixed with my dance music. I like variety!

The fact that he has had a cupcake named after him as well gives him a form of immortality! 

He was known to like a fried peanut butter, banana, and bacon sandwich from time to time. 

These cupcakes aren’t fried, but they are a delicious banana cake topped with a chunky peanut butter frosting and a cheeky candied bacon slice in between the cake and frosting!

The amazing Elvis toppers are printed on edible rice paper with edible ink, they are suitable for vegetarians and are gluten free!!

I received them from the lovely website Birthday CakeTopper, they have a wide selection of full cake and cupcake toppers and if they don’t have what you’re after then you can just ask! UPDATE 2017 -They no longer exist. 

Elvis Cupcakes:

190g plain flour

½ tsp ground cinnamon

¼ tsp ground nutmeg

1 tsp baking powder

¾ tsp bicarb or soda

pinch of salt

114g butter, room temp/cubed

60g dark brown sugar

60g golden caster sugar

½ tsp vanilla bean paste

2 medium eggs

2 bananas, mashed

Preheat the oven at 180C, line a muffin tin with cupcake cases. Sift the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, bicarb and salt in a bowl and set aside.

Beat the butter and both sugars until pale and fluffy. Scrape down the sides as needed. Add the vanilla paste and one of the eggs, mix until combined before adding the second egg.

Add the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Add the mashed banana give it a quick mix before dividing between the cupcake cases.

Bake for 25-30 minutes, cakes should be a rise golden color and a skewer should come out clean. Cool completely before frosting.

Chunky Peanut Butter Cream:

130g butter, room temp

300g golden icing sugar

3 tbsp milk

60g chunky peanut butter

Beat the butter until fluffy, then add half of the sugar and a tablespoon of milk. Beat until smooth, then add the rest of the sugar and milk. Once it’s all incorporated beat in half of the peanut butter then fold in the rest it gives it a nice peanut butter like swirl in the frosting.

Candied Bacon

Brown sugar, enough to coat the bacon

3-6 slices

coat the bacon in the brown sugar and bake for 20-30 minutes in a preheated oven of 200C

to finish:

Elvis Cupcake Toppers

Place half or more candied bacon slice to the top of the cupcake, hold down with a little bit of the frosting. Then pipe or spread the rest the frosting on top before adding the cupcake toppers. Put them on and press down carefully!

notes: Toppers were provided for this post, please see my contact/policy page for more information. I put them in a Hawaiian type case for his role in Blue Hawaii! While I was baking the cupcakes I listened to an all Elvis all the time radio station on my radio app!

It’s not easy being green …

… unless you are a little pistachio cupcake full of nutty goodness then it’s slightly easier.

It's easier then being a blogger with writers block.

Recently when I sit down to write about what I just made or product I just tried I stare at the screen not sure where to start. 

I usually end up with something and I’m happy with everything I post otherwise I wouldn’t post it.

It’s just that it used to come a lot easier and it bothers me that I’m struggling.

At least it’s not a baking block!

That has been non-stop recently, maybe that’s where the stress is coming from. Trying to keep my site up with all the baking I’ve been doing? So, maybe I’m putting unnecessary pressure on myself.

Perhaps? But for now I'll get back to the real reason I’m writing a post! I made pistachio cupcakes! Whynut, a local company, sent me some of their delicious pistachios and pistachio paste to try out.

I used the pistachio nuts and paste in the cake and used the paste in the icing to give it its green color! Of course it’s not easy being green!

My girls were very skeptical of them because they were green. Once they tried them though they thought they were great!

I will have to wait until Thursday to find out how they got on at the toddler group bake sale!

The only thing I would do different is the icing. I don’t get on well with icing that is just icing sugar and water and in this case pistachio paste. I should learn to trust my instincts and made a buttercream, but I didn’t! So, anyhow here they are!

It’s Not Easy Being Green Pistachio Cupcakes:

50g/2oz pistachios

140g/5oz golden caster sugar

140g/oz5 butter, softened

2 medium eggs

140g/5oz self-rising flour

2 tbsp pistachio paste

3 tbsp milk

Preheat the oven to 160C/140Cfan/gas3 and line your muffin tin with liners. Place the pistachios with half of the sugar in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped.

In a bowl of a stand mixer (or a large bowl) place all the ingredients including the sugar and chopped pistachio mixture. Beat until smooth. Divide into cases about ¾ full.

Bake for 20-25 minutes. Use the skewer test to make sure they are completely baked. Cool in the tin until completely cool. Then make the …

icing:

250g/9oz icing sugar/ confectioners sugar, sifted

1-2 tbsp of pistachio paste

1-2 tbsp water

Sift the icing sugar into a bowl and add 1 tbsp of water to the icing sugar whisk into a paste, add the pistachio paste and whisk until smooth. I added a further tbsp of water and I think it was a bit runny, so just add it until you get a consistency you are happy with.

to finish:

Edible glitter or chopped pistachios.

I say to leave them in the tin, because the cakes were coming away from the cases. Which is bad for this type of icing. So, if you’ve taken them out to cool stick them back into the tin. If the cake(s) have peaked trim them up, if you want a flat surface. Then spoon the icing on top of each cake. Gently spread if needed, mine was too runny so it just spread on its own. Then using 1 pinch of edible glitter sprinkle all 12 cakes. I know some people have an issue with edible glitter, but I literally took a pinch in my fingers and sprinkled 12 cupcakes with it. If it’s an issue for you just leave them off and use chopped up pistachios! 

Leave to set then enjoy!

notes: Whynut: Premium Quality Nuts provided me with the pistachio’s and paste for this post, views and opinions are my own. Please see my contact/policy page for further information. They have hazelnut paste and spread available on their site too! All their pastes and spreads contain no additives, E numbers, or preservatives! Recipe is adapted from Bakes & Cakes magazine Summer 2013.

A Love/Hate Relationship & Vegan Cupcakes

I sat down to write this post and soon realized I was going on a rant about the Internet.

Then I thought I best rewrite and get to the point. The point being these cupcakes made for my daughter's birthday lunch with her friends.

My youngest turned 4 last Saturday and we had a few friends around for lunch the day before. One of her friend’s parents are vegan and they are raising their children as vegans too.

Since I've made some amazing vegan cupcakes using Ms. Cupcake's book, I turned to it again. 

She has a Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcake in the book, but Baby Baker wanted a chocolate cake with peanut butter frosting so that’s what I made her!

They turned out pretty good! Of course the cakes turned out to be more for the parents then the children. Frosting was licked off and tiny bite marks were left on the cakes.

I consider that a success!

The cake was soft and chocolaty and the frosting was full of peanut buttery goodness! The parents liked them! 

In a nutshell, referring back to my rant I mentioned above, I do have a personal love hate relationship with the Internet.

However, when it comes to my children, I tend to err on the side of caution. I personally don’t think I would have appreciated my parents plastering my childhood over the Internet for the world to see. 

I respect that my children will one day be adults and, as I can’t predict how they will feel about it I don’t offer much information about them on here. Or to be far on any social media site - much to my long distance family and friends distress. 

I could go on and on about this subject, but since I already wasted about 20 minutes doing so then realizing I was rambling and it made no sense as a blog post I took a break and wrote something that made a bit more sense.

Question: Am I the only one who feels the same way? If you're of a generation, like me that grew up without the internet reflecting back would you like anyone being able to access your childhood photos and stories? Also would you like to try these cupcakes? Please leave a comment below or on twitter or facebook (oh the irony)! 

notes: for more vegan cakes and bakes check out Ms.Cupcake’s The Naughtiest Vegan Cupcakes in Town! I've had nothing but success following her methods!

Bea Arthur Cupcake from Robicelli's: A Love Story, with Cupcakes

Earlier this week I made Cinnamon Bun Cupcake from Robicelli’s: A Love Story, with Cupcakes. I had loads of leftover French Buttercream so I made more cupcakes…

…I didn't want to waste the frosting!!

Honest! That and I wanted to try another recipe.

The Bea Arthur cupcake is Black Coffee Chocolate Cake with Cheesecake Buttercream and an Espresso Ganache.

All I had to do was add some vanilla to the leftover frosting and I had Cheesecake Buttercream. It was the perfect combo.

I hadn't left the cold buttercream come to room temperature before whipping it up with the vanilla (I used vanilla bean paste) so it wasn't as smooth as the previous cupcakes.

Ah well, they were still delicious. Soft and rich and delicious! I was a lot happier with these cupcakes.

Mr Knightley teases me about my moods when something I make doesn't turn out how I wanted. Basically I’m like a toddler having a bit of a tantrum. Even though my logical mind tells me that I’m being silly for being annoyed, it doesn't stop me from being annoyed.

There is always something to learn no matter if things go according to plan or not. As my daughter’s fortune cookie said “When you lose, don’t lose the lesson.”

The lesson? When at first you don’t succeed try try again? or Look to the brighter side? 

That’s a good enough lesson for me, especially when talking about cupcakes…

notes: My review of Robicelli’s: A Love Story, withCucpakes. Refer to the “about me” page if you want to know who Mr. Knightley is. There are plenty of 

Cinnamon Bun Cupcakes from Robicelli’s: A Love Story, with Cupcakes {a book review}

I had read a few reviews for Robicelli's: A Love Story, with Cupcakes, in various places before staring at it in my wishlist on Amazon, then moving it to the basket, then back to the basket and so on…

I have an excessive collection of baking/cook books. So, its kind rare for me to purchase one, even though I covet loads of titles, these days. I’m running out of space and I do get anxiety attacks.

Basically if I know I have 2 or more recipes for the same type of cake or dessert I’m after I panic because I want the one that’s the best. However I am well aware that if I don’t try them out how will I know which is the best. I just don’t always want to try them all out; I just want the best right now. Then I wonder well, what if there isn’t one that is better then the other? What do I do then? Maybe I should make something else?

Hence the anxiety attacks I get over deciding what to make because I have so many cookbooks. We won’t even go into meal planning…. 

Yet, even though I know all this I still love a good book about food. And that is why this one stood out to me. All the reviews said how well written and funny it is.

Then one day, as I went to stare at it in my wishlist, Amazon informed me that there were only 9 copies left! Well, that just started another anxiety attack and now I am the proud owner of one of those 9 copies! 

I haven’t been back to check if they are fully back in stock, but I would have to assume so.

I read the book front to back and all the other reviews were right it’s laugh-out-loud funny, but what I really liked best was how real it was.

When you read a book or sometimes even blogs only the good things are there in black and white and we think: “How lucky are they to be where they are!” or “There life is perfect! I wish my life were more perfect.” But life isn’t like that. I guess I just appreciated that it shared the good, the bad, and the funny.

As I’ve been homesick lately I chose to try out the Cinnamon Bun Cupcakes first. I do like my cinnamon and these are full of it! They are good, but not exactly what I was expecting. Which I guess isn’t fair, as I really just want a proper cinnamon roll.

The cakes tasted good, but were heavier then I like them to be and the cinnamon goo sunk straight to the bottom. It’s probably due to something I did. I may have over mixed or converted the butter from sticks to grams wrong? The homemade butterscotch was good. So good, that it has finger impressions in it. Usually mine.

Then I thought I’d try this French Buttercream that they promote throughout the book. However, I found it to be a bit rich.  Maybe I don’t have a sophisticated enough palate for frosting that might as well be a slab of butter creamed and slapped on the top of a cake? Maybe it would be better on a different cake like their Bea Arthur cupcakes, which is a black coffee chocolate cake? Maybe I should make them I have plenty of frosting leftover?

If not I will use their tip of freezing the leftover buttercream in ice cube trays and using it for pancakes!

The recipes throughout the book are refreshing and far from the cute cupcakes being sold across the world. They make everything from scratch, but give tips on how to cut corners if you must. I have lots of others I’d like to try despite my not so great first attempt.

One recipe does not a cookbook make.

I will let you know how I get on with any other recipes I try!

notes: I read once that if you have more choice your brain thinks it’s an important decision. Therefore you find it harder to make a decision and likewise easier if you have fewer choices. I need to learn how to make myself proper cinnamon rolls. I bought myself a copy as stated above. Amazon is probably the only place you can buy this book in the UK as it’s a USA publication. Saying that it is in cups, sticks of butter, ounces and there are some things that aren’t readily available in the UK. Like Corn Syrup, I found mine at a big Tesco’s in their World Food section. 

What's a Party without Cupcakes??

A party isn't a party without cupcakes. Especially a birthday party! My father-in-laws girlfriend threw him a surprise 60^th birthday party a couple weekends ago and of course I supplied the cupcakes!

I went with a crowd pleaser Oreo Cupcakes! I followed a recipe from Love Bakery by Samantha Blears exactly. It’s a go to cupcake book.

It’s been quiet on the blog and it probably will be until the end of the year. I will hopefully be baking a bit more once the girls are off and I have a bit more down time.

I hope everyone else is enjoying the holidays! 

It’s so hard to say goodbye {Lemon Crumble Cupcakes}

Autumn is here! The days are starting to get shorter and the nights are definitely cooler.

I love this time of year, but I also love the long sunny days of summer! I have a lot of conflicting feelings about different things.

So, before I say goodbye to summer (until next year) I thought I’d make these super summery and light Lemon Crumble Cupcakes!

Not that you can’t make these in the middle of winter to remind you of summer or in the spring when you are anticipating summer or in summer as lemons go well with sunshine.

Although saying that a crumble always reminds me autumn and winter. There I go again with my conflicting feelings and thoughts!

No matter the time of year these cupcakes are gorgeous and should be made to share!

Crumble Topping:

75g plain flour

75g golden caster sugar

zest of 1 lemon

100g unsalted butter, chilled and cut into blocks

Make this first by mixing the flour, sugar, and lemon zest together. Then rub the butter into flour mixture until it looks like breadcrumbs and then set aside in the fridge until needed.

Lemon Crumble Cupcakes:

200g butter, room temperature

200g golden caster sugar

4 medium eggs

200g self-rising flour

juice of 1 lemon

150g Mackays Lemon Curd

Pre-heat the oven to 180C/350F and line a cupcake tray with your choice casing. Beat the butter until soft before adding the sugar and then beat until light and fluffy. Whisk the eggs together, and then slowly add little by little to the light and fluffy butter mixture. If you add too much too quickly it will curdle. Gently fold in the flour and lemon juice until just combined.

Place a heaped tablespoon (one from your drawer not a proper measuring spoon) into the bottom of each case. Dollop about a ½ tablespoon of lemon curd in the middle of each cupcake case before topping each cupcake roughly with another tablespoon of batter, then cover each cupcake with the crumble topping. There should be plenty to cover each cupcake.

Bake for 30 minutes they should be a golden color on top and should spring back slightly. A skewer test would probably be useless as it has curd in the middle. Let them cool down in the cupcake try before removing to a wire rack to cool.

notes: Mackays Lemon Curd was provided for me as part of there #bakingwithmackays campaign please see my contact/policy tab above for further information; recipe adapted from Rachel Allen’s Cake (my book review); if you like this post you make like Lemon & Poppy Seed Scones another post where I talk about lemons and sunshine

Peggy Porschen cupcakes {book review}

Cupcakes never will go out of style. My theory is based on the fact that when I need to take a bake somewhere I always think of cupcakes first. Here are my top 5 reasons for loving cupcakes:

1. They can be easily or simply decorated and still look cute.
2. They are individually wrapped.
3. They are the perfect amount of cake without being too greedy.
4. The flavor combinations are endless.
5. They are great for kid’s parties & fancy adult parties.

When I saw that Peggy Porschen was releasing a book titled Cupcakes I knew I was going to get a copy as soon as possible! I loved Boutique Baking and had great success baking from it I knew I couldn't go wrong with this new addition.

It’s only a little book, you can fit it in a handbag easily, but it has 25 great looking cupcake recipes! Each one is paired with a frosting and decorating tips, but feel free to mix and match to your tastes!

Here are the cupcake flavors included: Chocolate Heaven, Sticky Toffee, Red Velvet, Chocolate Raspberry Heart, Strawberry & Champagne, Lemon & Raspberry, Black Forest, Vanilla Chiffon, Strawberries & Cream, Banoffee, Pecan Pie, Carrot & Walnut, Eton Mess, Apple Strudel, Gianduja, Salted Caramel, Tiramisu, Toffee Apple, Mulled Wine, Lemon Meringue, Sugar Plum, Spiced Pumpkin, Cosmo, Pink Marshmallow, and Gingerbread.

Several of these have appeared in Boutique Baking and I have made the Chocolate Heaven and Sticky Toffee cupcakes before and they were both amazing. I can’t wait to try out the other recipes.

I am mostly looking forward to the Apple Strudel, Salted Caramel, Toffee Apple, Mulled Wine, Spiced Pumpkin, and Gingerbread. Can you tell that I am prepped for autumn and winter?? This little book would make a great stocking stuffer or a just because present!

It’s books like this that will insure the cupcakes’ place in the baking world. Thank you Peggy for keeping cupcakes stylish!

Chocolate Heave Cupcakes 

notes: Peggy Porschen cupcakes can be found in Peggy Porschen Parlour in London or in the online store, Amazon UK, and major book retailers. My copy was provided for me by the publishers please see the contact/policy tab above for further information. My review of Boutique Baking & my visit to Peggy’sParlour!