Glitzy Coffee Cupcakes

I’ve discovered edible glitter (how the heck did it take me so long?) and I want to sprinkle it on everything, but perhaps putting it on my chilli con carne was a step too far… Anyhoo, these sparkly beauties provide the perfect hit of coffee and glitz. So why not give them a whirl?

Glitzy Coffee Cupcakes (makes 24 - 28 mini cupcakes)

75g unsalted butter, softened

100g caster sugar

1 large egg

3 tbsp soured cream

2 tsp instant coffee, dissolved in a teeny tiny amount of boiling water and cooled

110g self raising flour 

For the icing:

100g unsalted butter, softened

2 tsp instant coffee, dissolved in a teeny tiny amount of boiling water and cooled

225g icing sugar

To decorate:

100g walnuts, chopped

50g dark chocolate, grated

Gold edible glitter

1. Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan).    
2. Mix the butter and sugar until creamy and light. Beat in the egg, followed by half of the flour.
3. Stir in the soured cream and coffee, then the remaining flour.
4. Distribute the mixture into mini cupcake cases, filling each two thirds full, and bake for 12-15 minutes in the middle of the oven.
5. To make the icing, mix half of the icing sugar with the butter until fully incorporated. Stir in the coffee, then add the remaining icing sugar and beat until smooth. If it is a little stiff, add a little splash of milk to loosen it slightly and it will become easier to work with.

6. Pipe or spread onto the cooled cupcakes (I prefer to pipe with a plain nozzle so that the icing is distributed evenly on top).
7. Put the walnuts and grated chocolate in separate bowls. Dip half of the cupcakes in each, making sure the icing is well coated with either chocolate or walnuts.
8. Now for the fairy dust moment – sprinkle with glitter and Ta Da! Glitzy Coffee Cupcakes!

Mini Mince Pie Cupcakes

Hooray! Christmas is coming! It's mince pie season and I've perfected my recipe for mince pie cupcakes just in time for the festivities. These are a light and fluffy alternative to the mince pie. I baked mini cakes and topped them with a wicked brandy buttercream icing and some fondant holly leaves and berries. I used homemade mincemeat - every year I make a batch of Delia's Mincemeat (omitting the yucky candied peel of course!). If you use shop bought mincemeat use a good quality one, as it will have both a better consistency and flavour.

Mini Mince Pie Cupcakes (makes 30)

115g unsalted butter, softened

115g caster sugar

2 large eggs

125g good quality mincemeat

100g self raising flour

15g cornflour

1/2 tsp baking powder

For the brandy buttercream icing:

125g butter

325g icing sugar

2-3 tbsp brandy

1. Put on some festive music and preheat oven to 180°C (fan 160°C) and line a mini muffin tin with mini cupcake cases.
2. Cream the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the mincemeat.
3. In a separate bowl mix the flour, cornflour and baking powder. Then sift this into the wet mixture and gently stir through until combined.
4. Fill cupcake cases two thirds full and bake for 10-12 minutes on the middle shelf of the oven.

5. Now make the icing. Use an electric mixer to beat the butter and icing sugar until smooth, then add in the brandy and mix well.

6. Pipe or spread onto the cooled cupcakes and decorate with sprinkles or fondant shapes.
7. Put your feet up, turn up the Christmas tunes and enjoy a cupcake or two.

Chocolate Owl Cupcakes

These chocolate owl cupcakes were so much fun to make... I had a hoot! Tee hee! I made them using gluten free flour and they went down a treat at my office. You could even add some chocolate chips to the cake batter to make them even more chocolately!

Chocolate Owl Cupcakes (makes 12)

150g butter, softened

150g caster sugar

3 eggs, lightly beaten

40g ground almonds

40g cocoa

125g self raising flour/gluten free self raising flour

4 tbsp yoghurt

1 tsp vanilla extract

Chocolate icing:

150g butter, softened

250g icing sugar

2 tbsp cocoa powder

2-3 tbsp milk

To decorate:

3 packets cadbury milk chocolate buttons, chop each button in half

2 packets giant chocolate buttons (for eyes)

2 packs white chocolate buttons (for eyes)

milk chocolate chips (for eyes)

3 cadbury fudge bars (for nose and ears), cut into triangular shapes

white chocolate stars

1. Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan).
2. Beat butter and sugar until light and creamy.
3. Mix in the eggs, vanilla and ground almonds. Then add the yoghurt and sift in the flour and cocoa. Stir through until you have a smooth chocolately batter.
4. Divide between 12 cupcake cases and bake for 20-25 minutes.

5. Meanwhile make the icing: combine butter and half the icing sugar until smooth, beat in the remaining icing sugar and cocoa, then finally add the milk to loosen the consistency slightly.
6. Once the cupcakes are cooled, spread the chocolate icing on top. Keep aside a teaspoon of icing for adding some of the chocolate decorations.
7. Layer the halved chocolate buttons on one half of the cupcake, leaving a small space in the centre for a piece of chocolate fudge for the nose. Place two smaller pieces of chocolate fudge on the top side for the ears.

8. Add two giant chocolate buttons for the eyes. Use a toothpick or the end of a spoon to dab a tiny splodge of icing onto the centre of the buttons, then gently press two white chocolate buttons into place. Add the milk chocolate chips on top of the white chocolate buttons with another small dot of chocolate icing. Pop a couple of white chocolate stars onto the side. Ta da!

Mini Orange Cupcakes

Orange cake is my favourite. I looove a chunky slab of orange pound cake topped with a rich, silky orange egg yolk icing. For these cupcakes I wanted a light springy sponge and an icing that's quick and easy to make. I settled on orangey cream cheese icing. Oh and of course I had to make them mini! 

Mini Orange Cupcakes 

(makes about 30 - but remember they're only wee!)

100g unsalted butter

120g caster sugar (I used golden caster)

2 medium eggs

20g ground almonds

50g half fat crème fraîche

120g self raising flour

¼ tsp baking powder

zest of one orange

3 tbsp fresh orange juice

Orange Cream Cheese Icing:

75g unsalted butter

75g cream cheese

250g icing sugar

zest of one orange

2 tsp fresh orange juice

Sprinkles (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 170° (150° fan).

2. Mix butter and sugar until light and creamy, then stir in the orange zest.

3. Add eggs, crème fraîche and ground almonds. Mix thoroughly until combined.

4. Sift in the flour and baking powder, stir into the mixture. 

5. Finally mix in the orange juice. 

6. Spoon into mini cupcake cases and bake for 12 minutes on the middle shelf.

7. To make the icing beat the butter and cream cheese until smooth. 

8. Add the icing sugar, zest and juice. Pipe or spread on your cupcakes.

Jubilee Cupcakes

I whipped up these patriotic cupcakes for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee this weekend. To celebrate we're having a BBQ with friends and tomorrow we're off to London to have our faces painted and see the flotilla. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for some sunshine!

Mini Carrot Cupcakes

I decided on carrot cupcakes for this weekends bake and as you can see, my obsession with making all things mini continues! They were my contribution to a family Birthday bash and they went down well. I made a big carrot cake too, but I'll share that with you another time.

These nutty mouthfuls of carroty goodness require a little bit of work, but believe me they are sooo worth it!

Mini Carrot Cupcakes (makes 24)

100g self raising flour

25g plain wholemeal flour
75g caster sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp baking powder
30 walnuts, finely chopped

100g carrot, grated

zest of one orange

1 large egg

125ml sunflower oil

Cream Cheese Icing:

75g unsalted butter, softened

75g cream cheese

200g icing sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1. Pre-heat oven to 180°C or 160°C for fan assisted.
2. Place the dry ingredients in a bowl. Add the grated carrot and orange zest and stir until the carrot is coated.
3. Add the egg and sunflower oil and mix until thoroughly until you have a reasonably thick batter (WARNING: your mixture will most likely look like cat sick - don't worry it'll taste great, I promise!).

4. Fill 24 mini cupcake cases to two thirds full and bake on the middle shelf for 12 minutes.

5. Meanwhile make the yummy cream cheese icing: using an electric mixer beat together all the ingredients until smooth.

6. Pipe or spread onto your cooled cupcakes. To decorate you could make little fondant carrots like I did or use whole or chopped walnuts or perhaps some bright sprinkles - you decide!

Lovely Lemony Cupcakes

After the chocolate and dinosaurs of last week it was time for something light and zingy. I loved the moist fluffy texture of the vanilla sponge layer of the choc-caramel cake, so I decided to use yogurt and ground almonds in my lemon cupcakes. 

As I couldn't decide between regular or mini cupcakes, I made both and decorated them with lovely lemony icing, sprinkles, hearts and candy slices. So cute.

Here's my recipe. It made 24 mini and 4 regular size cupcakes.

Lovely Lemony Cupcakes:
100g unsalted butter, softened
100g caster sugar
2 large eggs
75g self raising flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
50g ground almonds
50ml natural yogurt
1 tsp good quality lemon extract
zest of two lemons

Lemony Icing:
100g unsalted butter, softened
350-400g icing sugar
1/2 tsp lemon extract
1 or 2 tbsp lemon juice depending on how lemony you like it
few drops yellow food colouring (optional)

1. Heat your oven to 180 degrees or 160 for fan ovens
2. Beat butter and sugar until pale and creamy, then add the eggs one at a time and mix through.
3. Sift in the flour, baking powder, also adding the ground almonds, yogurt, lemon extract and zest. Mix until combined.
4. Spoon the mixture into your cupcake cases to about two thirds full.
5. Bake standard size for 20-25 minutes and mini cupcakes for 12-15 minutes then leave to cool on a wire rack.
6. For the lemony icing beat the butter with an electric mixer and gradually add 200g of the icing sugar and beat until smooth. Add the lemon extract and juice, and then the remaining icing sugar until you have a smooth and creamy consistency. At this point add the food colouring, if using.
7. Pipe or spread onto your cupcakes and pop on some pretty sprinkles and decorations.
8. Enjoy one (or two) of your lovely little lemony delights.