Cute and Colourful Cupcakes
I've ended up doing quite a bit of baking recently as it has been Macmillan's "World's Largest Coffee Morning" and my dad's company is raising funds for Guide Dogs for the Blind with a bake sale amongst other things. These are both great charities and if you'd like to donate to either cause I have attached links at the bottom of this post.
Having baked almost 50 cupcakes in total, I like to think I've become a bit of an expert on the matter and this recipe is quite frankly foolproof perfection. The sponge itself is as light as a feather as well as being gorgeously buttery and full of vanilla. The frosting is sweet without being sickly and again very light and airy. You can add whatever flavourings you want to either the cake mix or the frosting to change it up a bit - the world is your oyster!
Cute and Colourful Cupcakes
Makes 24
For the cupcakes:
100g unsalted butter
250g soft light brown sugar
50ml sunflower oil
25g cornflour
2 tsp vanilla extract
4 medium free-range eggs
80ml milk
100ml double cream
300g plain flour
3 tsp baking powder
For the buttercream:
300g icing sugar
25g liquid glucose
50g condensed milk
2 tsp vanilla extract or other flavouring
200g unsalted butter, softened
100g baking margarine, softened
200g icing sugar
100ml double cream
few drops food colouring or flavouring
decorations (optional)
For the cupcakes, preheat the oven to180C/350F/Gas 4. Line a muffin tin with cases.
Melt the butter over a low heat in a small pan, pour it into a bowl with the sugar, oil, cornflour (or arrowroot) and vanilla. Beat well until smooth, then whisk in the eggs followed by the milk and cream. Sift and beat the flour and baking powder into the butter mixture in batches until smooth. Spoon the mixture into the paper cases until about two-third full, then bake for 20-25 minute or until the top is springy to the touch. Remove the cupcakes from the oven and set aside to cool.
Meanwhile, for the buttercream, mix the icing sugar, glucose, condensed milk, flavouring and butter with an electric mixer in a bowl until smooth and light, then beat in the baking margarine until smooth. In a jug, stir the icing sugar into the cream until dissolved, then add any colouring or flavouring you want, or just leave it plain. Beat this gradually into the butter mixture until light and fluffy. (This buttercream keeps very well covered at room temperature for 2-3 days and can be warmed slightly and re-beaten if the texture is too firm.)
To decorate the cupcakes, you can either dollop on some icing and swirl it with a knife or use a piping bag. Either fill a disposable piping bag with the icing and snip off the end or fill a piping bag fitted with a large star nozzle. To pipe on the icing, start at the outside edge piping round the edge of the cupcake in a spiral towards the centre. When you reach the top, pull up quickly to finish the swirl. Decorate with sprinkles.
Donate to Macmillan:
https://www.macmillan.org.uk/donate/?gclid=Cj0KEQjw7Ne_BRDRmP2ojKfzv98BEiQAPuqPycMsdsePlPiDumgYDckR9Tu2seaxv040qtxlMHPwS7AaAogK8P8HAQ
Donate to Guide Dogs:
https://www.guidedogs.org.uk/supportus/fundraising/donate/#.V_YON5MrIzU
Having baked almost 50 cupcakes in total, I like to think I've become a bit of an expert on the matter and this recipe is quite frankly foolproof perfection. The sponge itself is as light as a feather as well as being gorgeously buttery and full of vanilla. The frosting is sweet without being sickly and again very light and airy. You can add whatever flavourings you want to either the cake mix or the frosting to change it up a bit - the world is your oyster!
Cute and Colourful Cupcakes
Makes 24
For the cupcakes:
100g unsalted butter
250g soft light brown sugar
50ml sunflower oil
25g cornflour
2 tsp vanilla extract
4 medium free-range eggs
80ml milk
100ml double cream
300g plain flour
3 tsp baking powder
For the buttercream:
300g icing sugar
25g liquid glucose
50g condensed milk
2 tsp vanilla extract or other flavouring
200g unsalted butter, softened
100g baking margarine, softened
200g icing sugar
100ml double cream
few drops food colouring or flavouring
decorations (optional)
For the cupcakes, preheat the oven to180C/350F/Gas 4. Line a muffin tin with cases.
Melt the butter over a low heat in a small pan, pour it into a bowl with the sugar, oil, cornflour (or arrowroot) and vanilla. Beat well until smooth, then whisk in the eggs followed by the milk and cream. Sift and beat the flour and baking powder into the butter mixture in batches until smooth. Spoon the mixture into the paper cases until about two-third full, then bake for 20-25 minute or until the top is springy to the touch. Remove the cupcakes from the oven and set aside to cool.
Meanwhile, for the buttercream, mix the icing sugar, glucose, condensed milk, flavouring and butter with an electric mixer in a bowl until smooth and light, then beat in the baking margarine until smooth. In a jug, stir the icing sugar into the cream until dissolved, then add any colouring or flavouring you want, or just leave it plain. Beat this gradually into the butter mixture until light and fluffy. (This buttercream keeps very well covered at room temperature for 2-3 days and can be warmed slightly and re-beaten if the texture is too firm.)
To decorate the cupcakes, you can either dollop on some icing and swirl it with a knife or use a piping bag. Either fill a disposable piping bag with the icing and snip off the end or fill a piping bag fitted with a large star nozzle. To pipe on the icing, start at the outside edge piping round the edge of the cupcake in a spiral towards the centre. When you reach the top, pull up quickly to finish the swirl. Decorate with sprinkles.
Donate to Macmillan:
https://www.macmillan.org.uk/donate/?gclid=Cj0KEQjw7Ne_BRDRmP2ojKfzv98BEiQAPuqPycMsdsePlPiDumgYDckR9Tu2seaxv040qtxlMHPwS7AaAogK8P8HAQ
Donate to Guide Dogs:
https://www.guidedogs.org.uk/supportus/fundraising/donate/#.V_YON5MrIzU
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