Cupcake Day

Method

For the vanilla cupcakes

Preheat the oven to 170°C and line a cupcake/muffin tray with 12 cases.

In a sieve over the mixing bowl – add the flour, caster sugar and bicarbonate of soda and sift them. Then add the butter and the eggs. Start the mixer on a low speed until everything is just mixed and then turn up to medium to high for 1 minute. With the mixer on a low speed add the milk and vanilla extract.

Put the mixer back up to medium to high speed for one last blast (about 30 seconds). Stop the mixer, remove the paddle and get as much batter off as you can. Scrape the sides with a spatula and give a final mix with the spatula to catch anything missed by the paddle at the bottom.

Using a dessert spoon and teaspoon scoop the batter into the cupcake cases.

Bake for 22 minutes in the preheated oven. Check with a skewer – it should come out clean. Leave in tray for 5-10 minutes and then transfer to a wire cooling rack.

To make the buttercream, add the butter to a mixer and beat for 2-3 minutes on a medium speed. The butter should now look very pale (edging on white) and be fluffy. Add half the icing sugar to the bowl with the butter and start the mixer on a low speed.  Once it’s incorporated turn the mixer up to medium speed and beat for 2-3 minutes. Add the last half of the icing sugar and again start on slow, then once mixed together, increase speed to medium and beat for another 2-3 minutes. Turn down to a low speed and add the milk and vanilla extract. Turn back up to a high speed for 1-2 minutes.

Then either pipe or spread over the cupcakes.

For the chocolate cupcakes

Preheat the oven to 160°C and line a 12 holed muffin tray with paper cases.

Finely chop the chocolate and add to a medium-sized bowl. Add the rest of the dry ingredients to the same bowl using a sieve. Mix with a whisk so everything is combined.

In a free-standing mixer bowl – add the eggs, cooled coffee, buttermilk and vegetable oil and beat for a minute or so until combined. With the mixer on slow – gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Beat for a couple of minutes until everything is combined. Transfer the mixture to a jug as it will be too runny to spoon into the cases. Fill the paper cases 2/3 full and use a spoon to catch the drips from the jug as you fill up each case.

Bake for 20 minutes or until they spring back when touched. Transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
For the buttercream, melt the chocolate in a bowl over a pan of hot, but not boiling water. Ensure the water does not touch the bottom/side of the bowl. Remove from the heat and leave to cool.

Put the butter in a bowl of a free-standing mixer and beat for about 10 minutes – the butter should be pale white and whip-like. Add half of the sifted icing sugar and beat for a further 5 minutes. Add the last of the sifted icing sugar and beat for another 5 minutes. Add the whole milk and again beat for another 5 minutes. Gradually add the chocolate and beat for another 5 minutes (ensure the chocolate is cool and not still hot as you don’t want to melt the butter in the icing and end up with a sloppy mess).

Then you can pipe or dollop the icing onto the cupcakes.

Method

Line a cupcake tin with 12 cupcake cases. Heat the oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Sift the flour, cocoa, bicarb and a pinch of salt into a bowl and mix to combine.

Using a stand mixer or an electric hand whisk, beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, then beat in the egg, vanilla, buttermilk, oil and vinegar until combined. Gradually mix the wet ingredients into the dried until smooth. Mix in the red food colouring until you have a deep red mixture – the colour may vary depending on what brand you use.

Divide the batter between the cupcake cases and bake for 20-22 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre of one of the cakes comes out clean.

Beat together all of the ingredients for the icing using a whisk or electric beaters, until smooth. Once the cakes are cool, use a piping bag fitted with a star nozzle to cover the cakes with the cream cheese icing, or dollop the icing on top using a spoon.

Method

Heat the oven to 180C/160 C/gas 4. Melt the chocolate and butter in a saucepan over low heat and mix together. Remove from the heat and beat in the eggs, sugar and flour. Add the raspberries and mix gently.

Pour into the muffin cases and bake for 20 minutes. Cool slightly and then gently take the cakes out of the tin. Lightly dust the tops with icing sugar.

Method

Cupcakes

Preheat your oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas Mark 4 and get 12 cupcake cases ready.

Cream together the butter and caster sugar until light, fluffy and smooth.

Add in the eggs, self-raising flour and lemon zest and beat again until smooth.

Spoon your cupcake mix into your cupcake cases and bake in the oven for 18-22 minutes or until cooked through. Leave the cupcakes to cool on a wire rack.

Filling

Core out the middle of your cupcakes.

Add in a spoonful of lemon curd per cupcake.

Italian Meringue

Pour the sugar and the water into a heavy-based saucepan and bring to a boil. Stir it occasionally with a wooden spoon.

When the mixture starts to boil monitor the temperature until it reaches 120C (Firm Ball Stage) with a sugar thermometer.

Whilst the mixture is heating up and boiling, if any sugar splashes up the side of the pan, brush the sides with a pastry brush and cold water to get rid of it.

When the mixture is starting to reach temperature whisk the egg whites in your electric stand mixer.

When the sugar syrup has reached temperature and the egg whites are at stiff peaks start to pour the sugar syrup onto the egg whites at the edge of the bowl whilst still whisking. Make sure you do this slowly so it’s a constant trickle of sugar syrup so that the egg whites stay smooth.

Whisk throughout whilst the sugar syrup is pouring in, and after it’s all whisked in continue to whisk the mixture at a high speed for 5-7 minutes until the mixture is smooth, and has cooled down.

Pipe the meringue onto your cupcakes, and carefully blowtorch to get the delicious tasting meringue.