Ice Cream Cone Cupcakes

110g unsalted butter, room temperature
110g caster sugar
3 eggs
110g self raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
12 flat based ice cream cones
chocolate flakes

For the frosting:
225g unsalted butter, room temperature
450g icing sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 180'c/Gas Mark 4 and wrap a 12 hole muffin tin in foil.  Put a hole in each muffin hole and place an ice cream cone in each one (this will stop them falling over in the oven.)

Cream the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy, beat in the eggs one at a time, until well incorporated.  Sift the flour and baking powder and add this a third at a time, folding well inbetween, then add the vanilla extract.

Spoon the mixture into the cones,filling to just below the top of the cone and place in the oven for about 20 minutes so they are springy to the touch and a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.  Place on a wire rack and leave to cool.

To make the frosting beat the butter so it is pale and creamy then add the icing sugar and vanilla.

Using a piping bag and a Wilton 1M tip pipe the icing onto the cake, add a chocolate flake (you may need to cut them down) and decorate with sprinkles/raspberry sauce etc.

 

Valentines Day Cupcakes

For the vanilla cupcakes:
190g plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
60g butter, softened
100g caster sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
90ml milk


For the frosting:
90g butter, softened
175g icing sugar
1 tbsp milk
3 drops vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 180'c/Gas Mark 4 and line a 6 hole muffin pan with cupcake liners. 

Sift together the flour and baking powder then in a seperate bowl mix the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.  Add the eggs one at a time, beating well between each addition, then beat in the vanilla.  Using a large metal spoon fold in the flour mixture then the milk.

Fill each baking cup with the batter and bake in the oven for about 25 minutes until golden brown and firm to the touch.  Leave the cupcakes in the tins for 10 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

For the frosting beat the butter until light and fluffy, then stir in the icing sugar and beat until smooth, adding the milk and vanilla extract.


I made my own decorations by rolling coloured icing and cutting out the love hearts and letters with cutters, then leaving to dry out.

Beth's 15th Birthday Party Cupcakes

For the vanilla cupcakes:
190g plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
60g butter, softened
100g caster sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
90ml milk


For the frosting:
90g butter, softened
175g icing sugar
1 tbsp milk
3 drops vanilla extract


Preheat the oven to 180'c/Gas Mark 4 and line a 6 hole muffin pan with cupcake liners. 


Sift together the flour and baking powder then in a seperate bowl mix the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.  Add the eggs one at a time, beating well between each addition, then beat in the vanilla.  Using a large metal spoon fold in the flour mixture then the milk.

Fill each baking cup with the batter and bake in the oven for about 25 minutes until golden brown and firm to the touch.  Leave the cupcakes in the tins for 10 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.


For the frosting beat the butter until light and fluffy, then stir in the icing sugar and beat until smooth, adding the milk and vanilla extract.


I then used gerbera plunge cutters and lustre dust to make the decorations and a flower cutter :)

 

Chocolate and Coconut Cupcakes

150g firmly packed brown sugar
25g cocoa powder
75g self raising flour
75g plain flour
25g dessicated coconut
125g butter, melted
1 egg
80ml milk

For the chocolate buttercream:
70g butter
1 tbsp milk
120g icing sugar
2 tbsp cocoa powder, sifted

Preheat the oven to 160'c and line a 6 hole muffin tin with cupcake liners.

Sift the sugar, cocoa and flours in a large bowl, then stir in the coconut, butter, milk and egg.  Divide the mixture between the cupcake liners and bake for 35 minutes.  Stand in the tins for 5 minutes then put on a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the buttercream beat the  butter, milk, icing sugar and cocoa powder in a large bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, then frost each cupcake.

 

Cherry and Blueberry Pie Style Cupcakes

For the vanilla cupcakes:
190g plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
60g butter, softened
100g caster sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
90ml milk

For the frosting:
90g butter, softened
175g icing sugar
1 tbsp milk
3 drops vanilla extract

big bag of chocolate M and M's for decoration - blue and red picked out

Preheat the oven to 180'c/Gas Mark 4 and line a 6 hole muffin pan with cupcake liners. 

Sift together the flour and baking powder then in a seperate bowl mix the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.  Add the eggs one at a time, beating well between each addition, then beat in the vanilla.  Using a large metal spoon fold in the flour mixture then the milk.

Fill each baking cup with the batter and bake in the oven for about 25 minutes until golden brown and firm to the touch.  Leave the cupcakes in the tins for 10 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

For the frosting beat the butter until light and fluffy, then stir in the icing sugar and beat until smooth, adding the milk and vanilla extract.  I then bit by bit started adding sifted cocoa powder until I was happy with the colour.

I then put a thin layer of buttercream on the top of each cupcake and placed the M and M's, M side down on top, leaving about a 1.5cm gap all around the edge.  I then using a writing tip piping nozzle made the lattice pattern across each cake then piped a crust around the edges.

 

Cookies and Cream Fudge Brownies

165g butter, plus extra for greasing
200g dark chocolate, grated or finely chopped
3 eggs
2 egg yolks
2 tsp vanilla extract
165 light soft brown sugar
2 tbsp plain flour
1 tbsp cocoa powder
pinch of salt
154g pack oreos, broken into quarters
icing sugar, for dusting

Preheat the oven to 180'c/Gas Mark 4 and grease and line a 20cm square baking tin.

Melt the butter in a pan over a medium heat, when melted take off the heat and add the chocolate, leave to stand for a few minutes and then stir together.

Whist the eggs, yolks and vanilla in a large bowl until light and fluffy.  Add the sugar in two additions, whisking in between each.  Pour it around the side of the egg mix and keep whisking until the mixture becomes stiffer.  Once the egg mixture is ready pour the chocolate into it, again around the sides.

Add the flour, cocoa, salt and a third of the biscuits and stir until fully combined, then pour into the prepared tin.  Scatter over the remaining biscuits and press them in slightly.  Bake in the preheated oven for 25 - 30 minutes, the middle should be gooey.  Leave to cool in the tin (the top will sink and crack a little.)

Pull the brownies out and cut into squares, dust with icing sugar.

 

Orange and Honey Cupcakes

225g plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
largh pinch ground cloves
large pinch grated nutmeg
175g butter, softened
200g caster sugar
4 tbsp honey
grated rind of 2 oranges
4 eggs

For the frosting:
200ml double cream
3 tsp honey
2 oranges, thinly sliced

Preheat the oven to 190'c/Gas Mark 5 and line a 14 hole muffin tin with cupcake papers.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg and set aside.  In another bowl add the butter and caster sugar and whisk until light and creamy.  Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well between each addition.  Then using a metal spoon fold in the flour mixture.

Fill each baking cup and bake in the oven for about 25 minutes until golden brown and firm to the touch, a skewer inserted in the middle should come out clean when they are cooked.  Leave to cool in the tins for 10 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the frosting whisk the cream until it holds its shape, then fold in the honey.  Pipe swirls of the honey cream on top of each cupcake then decorate with a twisted orange slice.