Easy Waffles from Jamie Oliver

I wish I could say that I just magically knew how to make waffles from scratch, but I don't. Like most people I had to look it up. I mean someone somewhere in time must have said lets mix flour, egg, and milk together and heat it up in a pan or griddle or waffle maker or whatever they used way back in the day and magically made waffles.

However, when it comes down to the simple things, like waffles, they have generally been done before. That's why I have borrowed Jamie Oliver's recipe - which probably wasn't his recipe to begin with either to be fair. But in today's world of copyright and people owning things I will give him credit here as it was his website I found the recipe I use to make waffles.

Since picking up a waffle maker for only £5 (marked down) I have been making waffles for my girls and I for breakfast and dessert. I hadn't thought of sharing it on the blog because I hadn't changed the recipe up at all and toppings are subjective to individual taste.

Then I thought well people are missing out on this super easy waffle recipe to then top with whatever they want! I mean they might find it on Jamie Oliver's site like I did, but if they are like me they are skeptical of how it might turn out and as I have made this about a dozen times now I can say yes this is a good waffle recipe.

Easy Waffles

150g self rising flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp sugar
1 large egg
240ml milk
1/2 tsp vanilla extract (optional)

Mix the dry ingredients together. Then beat the egg in a separate bowl before adding it, in about three parts, to the dry ingredients. Then slowly add the milk beating until smooth between each addition until it's perfectly smooth. Then following the instructions on your waffle maker make waffles!
I usually get about 6 -8 waffles out of the batter.

*I wish Jamie Oliver was paying me to say or to share this, but he's not. If you'd like to visit his site the recipe is here. The amazing lovely lady at Moose Maple Butter sent me a tub of the butter to try out and it's amazing on waffles. Thought it was worth a shout out on here! I met her at Food Blogger Connect a few years back now and received a tub from her there and made these delicious Maple Butter Bars! All opinions are my own and if you want further information see my contact/policy page above!

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

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!