Raspberry Pavlova Cupcakes

Tried out a new recipe yesterday for Raspberry Pavlova Cupcakes (inspired by Ruby's delicious pavlovas ... and some raspberries that needed eating up). I made the meringues in advance so that I could crumble some into the cakes - made some with and some without - but there was really no discernable difference in texture, so it probably isn't worth the effort (or waste of meringue!)

For the cakes
120g butter, softened
120g caster sugar
2 large free-range eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla
120g plain flour
1tsp baking powder
100g fresh raspberries


For the meringues
2 egg whites
110g caster sugar

To top

150ml double cream

30g icing sugar

3tbspn creme fraiche

Before you start: the meringue mix makes way more than enough mini meringues to top 12 cakes (see photo below), but I just can't really whisk 1 egg white in my massive mixer. By all means try, or omit the meringues all together if you just want a raspberry cupcake. Otherwise the meringues will keep for a couple of weeks in an airtight container and I'm sure they'll come in for something!

Preheat oven to 180c/160fan/350f. Put large cupcake cases in a 12-hole muffin tin.

Usual method for the cake - beat softened butter and sugar together, slowly add beaten egg and vanilla, beat, beat, beat until you can beat no more. Add sifted flour and baking powder and beat quickly, taking care not to overmix. Chuck in the raspberries and give it a quick mix through, leaving some chunky bits of raspberry.

Bake for 20-25 minutes.

While the cakes are cooking start on your meringues.  Line two baking trays with greaseproof or parchment.

Whisk the egg whites until very stiff. Continue whisking on a high speed, slowly adding all of the sugar (a tsp at a time is recommended for the best meringues). The mixture should be smooth and glossy. Pipe small meringue shapes onto the baking trays. These will sit for a little while waiting for the oven to be ready (though maybe don't risk it if it's too hot in the kitchen).

Once your cakes are cooked, reduce oven temperature to 110c/90fan/230f. When the oven is at the right temperature put in your meringues and cook for 45 mins to 1 hour (it's worth turning the trays half way through for a more even bake).

When you're ready to eat your cakes, whip the double cream until firm, beat in the icing sugar. Once well combined, mix in the creme fraiche. Pipe cream mix in a circle on the cakes and top with a meringue.

The meringues will lose their crispiness in 1-2 hours once sat on top of the cream, and the fresh cream won't last long in a warm environment, so this isn't a great recipe for preparing in advance. (nb the cakes will become dry if you put them in the fridge, so I wouldn't choose that option either.) Hey, they'll still be nice to eat!

Springing back!

It's been a while, but, hey, I've been busy. This Easter has been a great weekend for baking - too cold and the family too poorly to be bothered with going outside anyway! So, I've been getting creative indoors with some new flower styles for cake toppings, just in time for the spring blooms and blossoms. These will be great for parties and wedding cakes come the summer too.

I've also been squirrelling away on a new website with some new photos and yummy cake flavours ... watch this space for relaunch.

Recipes also coming soon....

Cranberry and White Chocolate Muffins

So, I end the year as I began - messing around with white chocolate! I've learned my lesson though and this recipe just calls for chunks of white chocolate and nothing more complicated.... It also uses up those cranberries hanging around after Christmas (use fresh or frozen ones defrosted).

So, you will need:
100g unsalted butter
284ml soured cream (a standard tub)
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
280g plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
200g caster sugar (golden if you have it)
150g fresh cranberries (blueberries would also work well)
150g white chocolate, chopped into small chunks

1. Preheat oven to 190c/170c fan/gas 5. Line a 12-hole muffin/large cupcake tin with cases.
2. Melt the butter (in the microwave is fine), leave to cool back down a bit, then mix in the soured cream. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix again, very thoroughly.
3. Mix dry ingredients (flour, baking powder and sugar) together and sift into the butter mixture. Combine well.
4. Add cranberries and white chocolate chunks. Combine thoroughly. The mixture will be quite stiff, this is quite normal!
5. Fill cases - pretty full. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until skewer pulls out clean when poked into your cake.

I read somewhere that muffins are an excuse to eat cake for breakfast. Hurrah for that!

Merry Christmas

The cupcake way!

Christmas crackers!

Look at these little lovelies ready for the off yesterday. From top to bottom: Mince Pie Cupcakes; Gingerbread, Man, Cupcakes; Chocolate Yule Log Cupcakes, Christmas Cake Cupcakes.

Feeling festive yet?

What about this proper job Christmas cake, sent off for delivery today? Understated, yes, but it's covered in pearlised shimmery sparkle! Will look so lovely with ribbon of colour-coordiated-with-Christmas-decorations choice!

Weddings of all shapes and sizes

I never thought I'd be so busy thinking about weddings this time of year, but with two weddings and three sets of tasters for next year's brides it's been all go and I've been conjuring up romance in the kitchen in between the christmas puddings and preserve presents!

As if to prove no two weddings are the same, look at these beautifully purple vanilla and blackberry cupcakes (pre romantic glitter application) and the delicately delicious lemon and flat topped cupcakes ready for tasting.

Kitschy she say, it doesn't matter how you do it as long as you do it your way!

Flavour of the month: Mince pie

This month I have several cupcake flavours on the go including Christmas Cake and Chocolate Yule Log (right), but the official flavour of the month is Mince Pie. I know, you may already be sick of mince pies, but, trust me, this one is delicious!

As it’s the season of giving, here’s the (deceptively simple) recipe.
Basic sponge mix for about 10 cupcakes, so:
2 eggs, beaten
Equal weight of unsalted butter, softened
Equal weight of light muscovado sugar (or caster sugar is fine)
Equal weight of plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
Plus:
1tsp mixed spice
half a jar of mincemeat (about 150g)

Preheat oven to 180/160 fan (or whatever your equivalent is!) and pre-fill a muffin tin with 10-12 muffin/cupcake cases.

Whisk up your softened butter until light and ‘oily’ (the consistency of mayonnaise ish), add the sugar and whisk some more until light and fluffy. Slowly whisk in the eggs, taking care not to add too much egg at once so that the mixture doesn’t split. Sift together your flour, baking powder and mixed spice and whisk into the mix quickly and lightly. Stir in the mincemeat (thoroughly, but don’t bash your cake mixture around too much).

Fill your cupcake cases about two thirds full and bake for 20-25 minutes (until a cake skewer comes out clean). In my oven the cupcakes cook reliably in 22 minutes, but it’s a bit warmer on one side than the other, so I turn them round at 17 minutes. Definitely don’t touch them for 10 minutes (unless something disastrous has happened).

I’ve topped these with a vanilla cream frosting (a mixture of basic buttercream, double cream, condensed milk and vanilla extract), plus a jaunty shortcrust pastry lid or star for the mini ones. The pastry is obviously an optional extra, but gives a nice contrasting crunch to the overall cake. If I was eating these at home, I’d be tempted to serve slightly warm(ed) with a dollop of clotted cream on top.

Have a wonderful festive season!