Preheat oven at 180°C/ 350°F/ Gas Mark 4
Base:
125g butter
125g caster sugar
125g self raising flour
2 medium eggs
2 drops vanilla essence
1 tbsp cocoa powder
Icing:
150g unsalted butter
225g icing sugar
2tbsp warm milk
2 drops vanilla essence
Mix the ingredients together and split the mixture (except the cocoa powder) in two and add the cocoa powder in one of the halves. Fill in the cupcake holders with the chocolate mix for the base and top up with the vanilla mix.
My attempt to make a Newcastle jersey cake for my brother (side note, I’m a Liverpool fan!).
Cake: chocolate sponge
Filling: double cream, whipped; milk chocolate ganache
Icing: white regal icing for the shirt and black icing for the stripes
I had to print off the Newcastle logo as I’m not that artistic myself. Maybe next time, given more time, I will make an attempt to make it from scratch.
-The photos were taken next my handmade candles-
Preheat oven at 180°C/ 350°F/ Gas Mark 4
Base:
100g unsalted butter
150g caster sugar
150g self raising flour
2 large eggs
2 tbsp water
2 tbsp Amaretto (or Disaronno)
Buttercream Icing:
150g unsalted butter
225g icing sugar
2tbsp water
2 drops almond essence
Decoration:
Christmas tree cutter with green icing
Pink icing baubles
Butterfly decoration as star (to preference)
Serves 12
This week it was my cousin’s 18th birthday and as it’s a special one I promised to make her cake. She wanted a big cake surrounded with cupcakes, white and gold. The filling for the cake was white chocolate ganache with double cream (in the middle) and white chocolate ganache for the outer layer covered by icing. The cupcakes were standard vanilla cupcakes topped with buttercream icing and gold sparkles.
The preparation:
The final piece:
Last week I was asked to cater cupcakes for a ‘Morning Tea’ meeting between parents and teachers at a local nursery. Choices included vanilla cupcakes, almond cupcakes and strawberry jam cupcakes. For the vanilla and strawberry jam cupcakes you can find the recipes in previous blog entries. Almond recipe will be added shortly.
Preheat oven at 180°C/ 350°F/ Gas Mark 4
Bake for 13 minutes
Base:
100g unsalted butter
150g caster sugar
150g self raising flour
2 large eggs
3 tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla essence
1tbsp brandy
1tbsp strawberry syrup
Buttercream Icing:
150g unsalted butter
225g icing sugar
2tbsp warm milk
3 drops vanilla essence
Decoration:
Cut a hole in the middle of each cupcake and add strawberry jam to your preference
Cover the hole with the cupcake bit that you cut off and pipe on the icing
Serves 12
Base:
125g butter
125g caster sugar
125g self raising flour
2 medium eggs
1 tbsp milk
1tbsp caramel essence
1tbsp brandy
Buttercream Icing:
150g softened butter
225g icing sugar
1tsp vanilla essence
2tbsp hot milk
blue food colouring
Decoration:
royal icing
yellow food colouring
star shaped cookie cutter
serves 12
Base:
125g butter
125g caster sugar
125g self raising flour
2 medium eggs
2tbsp milk
1 lemon, squeezed
Icing:
150g unsalted butter
225g icing sugar
1tsp lemon juice
2tbsp hot water
yellow food colouring
Decoration:
thin slice of a small lemon
lemon peels
Serves 12
Victoria sponge cake with white icing
Vanilla cupcakes with flat white icing
Decorated with gold glitter and sugar daisies (50 years – golden anniversary)
Preheat oven at 180°C/ 350°F/ Gas Mark 4
100g unsalted butter
150g caster sugar
150g self raising flour
2 large eggs
3 tbsp milk
1/2 tsp rosewater
1 tsp red food colouring
Vanilla Buttercream Icing
Serves 12 cupcakes
Pink Raindrops 