Halloween Cupcakes

Cupcake idea for the spooky season! 

THE RECIPE

Large Vanilla Cupcakes

(16 large cupcakes - muffin cases)
225g unsalted butter, softened
225g caster sugar
225g self raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 180. Put all ingredients in a bowl and mix together with an electric whisk.

2. Spoon mixture into cases and put in oven for 25mins (check at 20mins to make sure they aren't too brown).

3. Leave to cool and decorate!

BUTTERCREAM ICING

150g butter (leave out of fridge before using to soften) 

350g icing sugar

1tbsp vanilla extract

A few drops of green food colouring

1. Sift icing sugar into a bowl and add butter, mix together with a wooden spoon until soft.

2. Mix in colouring and vanilla extract

3. Pipe or spoon buttercream icing onto cakes.

The bats...

Get some black regal using and a bat shaped cutter! (Bit of a cheat but makes it super easy!)

Enjoy!

Toffee Squares

These are so yummy!
Toffee sponge topped with a sticky caramel sauce. 

 

THE RECIPE

Toffee Squares
(makes approx 20 squares - depending on how big you cut them!)

150g pitted dates (chopped roughly)
125ml cold water
1tsp bicarbonate of soda
150g butter (left out of fridge for a while so soft)
150g light muscovado sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
175g self-raising flour
Caramel toffee sauce (I used half a jar)

This is a tray bake so you'll need a shallow wide tin to bake in - or 2x small square cake tins!

1. Preheat oven to 180, lightly grease tin and line bottom with greaseproof paper.

2. Place chopped dates in a pan and add the cold water.  Heat on the hob and bring to the boil.  Then remove from the heat and add the bicarbonate of soda, the mixture will fizz! Stir slightly and leave to cool.

3. Place butter and sugar in a bowl and beat together (I used an electric hand whisk for this), continue until mixed together creating a light mixture.  Whisk the eggs and add to mixture, followed by the vanilla extract. Whisk all of this together until you get an even mixture. 

4. Using a metal spoon, mix in the flour and then the date mixture.  You will have quite a wet mix.  Pour the mixture into the tin and even out the top slightly.  Bake for 25-30 minutes, until cake has risen and has a slightly dark top. 

5. Allow cakes to cool in the tin for 10 minute then remove the cake and place onto a cooling rack, be careful to avoid breaking the sponge! Once cake is cool, cut into squares and then use a dinner knife to add caramel topping to each one. 

Happy baking! x

Lavender Cupcakes

Bit of a floral one for summer.  These cupcakes have a hint of lavender but it's not overpowering, just something a little different! 

THE RECIPE

Lavender Cupcakes
(makes 12 cupcakes)

For the Cakes:
125g self raising flour
125g caster sugar
2 heaped teaspoons of dried crushed lavender buds
125g butter
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons of milk

For the Icing:
100g icing sugar
3 tablespoons of boiling water
12 small spring of lavender

1. Preheat over to 190C.  Prepare a cupcake tray with 12 cases.

2. Add the flour and sugar to the bowl.  Pull buds from lavender sprigs and place in a sandwich bag, crush them with a rolling pin.  (Be careful of the stems near the buds, they are quite spiky!) Place 2 heaped teaspoons of the buds into a sieve and mix them through with a spoon.  After this I also added some of the purple buds - the sieve is mostly to eliminate any unwanted spiky bits.  Mix the ingredients in the bowl together. 

3. Whisk the 2 eggs then add them to the bowl along with the butter and milk.  Mix all ingredients - I did this with a wooden spoon but a mixer would be easier and give a more even result.

4. Place mixture into cases and bake for 15 minutes.

5.  Allow cupcakes to cool on a wire rack.  Then mix up the icing sugar and icing.  You may need to add more sugar or water to achieve a movable but thick consistency. Smooth the icing onto the top of the cakes and add a small sprig of lavender to the top for decoration.  If you're not keen on stems you could also crush some more buds and add this to the top, which can be eaten and will enhance the flavour.

Enjoy!

Sorry for the silence!

New recipes to try on the way soon!

Halloween Gingerbread

Try a different sweet treat for Halloween.

I found some spooky biscuit cutters in Wilkinsons - just £1.50. Bargain!

Use a normal gingerbread man recipe:

http://thecreativecatatno59.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/gingerbread-biscuits.html

Then just add chocolate chips or small orange smarties to decorate.

Happy Halloween!

Quick Iced Coffee

Quick cool down for a hot day!

RECIPE

Iced Coffee
(Makes 1 glass)


1tsp coffee
1-2 tsp sugar (to your taste)
1/2 glass milk
8 ice cubes (approx)


1. Put the coffee and sugar in a mug and add a dash of boiling water. 
Stir to dissolve.

2.  Pour half a glass of chilled milk into a glass.

3.  Crush 8 ice cubes - this could be done in a blender - I used a sandwich bag and a rolling pin! Don't make the ice too small as it will turn to slush.

4.  Add the coffee mix to the milk bit by bit stirring well in between. Then add the crushed ice and stir again.  Serve!

Easy Peasy Lemon Cheesecake

A really quick no bake cheesecake recipe - the result was very well recieved!

It's more of an American thick cheesecake than a delicate one but very delicious!

THE RECIPE

Easy Peasy Lemon Cheesecake
(Serves 8+)

397g sweetened condensed milk (1 can)
300g mascarpone cheese
285ml double cream
4 large lemons
12 digestive biscuits
80g butter

Note: For best results use a 7 or 8 inch loose bottom cake tin.

1. Put the hob on a low heat and melt the butter slowly in a saucepan.  When the butter is fully melted add the crushed digestive biscuits (I found the best way to do this is put them in a sandwich bag 4 at a time and hit with a rolling pin). 

2. Once the butter has been absorbed into the biscuit turn the mixture into the cake tin and pat down.  Place in the fridge.

 

3.  Place the mascarpone cheese in a mixing bowl and use an electric whisk to soften.  Add the condensed milk and double cream slowly, mixing in between. 

4. Roll the lemons on a work surface (this is said to create more juice), then slice and squeeze the juice into a bowl.  Add the juice to the mixture bit by bit, mixing in between.

5.  The mixture should now be thick and creamy.  Remove the biscuit base from the fridge and add the mixture on top.  Smooth the top of the cheese cake with a spatula or back of a spoon.  Take one of the squeezed lemons and grate some rind on top of the cake for an extra lemon kick.

6.  Place the whole cake in the fridge for at least an hour.  I made mine the night before and it turned out lovely! 

White Chocolate and Cranberry Cookies

Lovely cookies = great weekend treat!

THE RECIPE

White Chocolate and Cranberry Cookies
(Makes approx 15)

125g butter (room temp)
125g soft light brown sugar
150g plain flour
100g white chocolate chips
50g white chocolate (finely grated)
50g dried cranberries
1 egg
1 tbsp milk
1/2 tsp baking powder

1.  Preheat the oven to 180C and line 2 baking trays with baking paper.

2.  Cream the butter and sugar together in a large bowl (a wooden spoon is fine for this).  Then beat in the egg and milk.

3.  Add flour, baking powder, grated chocolate, chocolate chips and cranberries into the mixture.  Mix gently with a dessert spoon until you have an even mixture. 

4.  Place dessert spoonfuls of the cookie mixture onto the baking trays.  Don't forget to leave space for the cookies to expand!  You may need to reuse one of the trays for the rest of the batch. 

5.  Bake for 12-15 mins until the cookies are golden but still slightly soft.  Leave to cool on the tray for 5 mins then leave to cool completely on a wire cooling rack.

Amazing enjoyed warm also!

Simple Victoria Sponge Cake

Very simple recipe, but very tasty!

THE RECIPE

Victoria Sponge Cake
(Serves 8)

For the Cake:
175g butter (room temp)
175g caster sugar
175g self-raising flour
3 medium eggs (beaten)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp baking powder
4 tbsp jam (raspberry or strawberry is best)

For the Buttercream:
50g butter (room temp)
125g icing sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp milk

1. Preheat the oven to 180C.  Grease 2 round baking tins (I used 20cm size), cut 2 circles of baking paper to fit and place in each tin. 

2. Put the butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla extract into a mixing bowl, and then sift over the flour and baking powder.  Beat all ingredients together until thick.  I used an electric hand whisk for this as I find it makes the sponge a lot lighter. 

3. Divide the mixture between the two tins and level out the tops as much as possible.  Bake in the oven for 25 minutes or until risen and firm. 

4.  Leave the cakes to cool in the tins for a few minutes, then remove and place on a cooling rack. 

5.  Once the cakes are completely cool, the inside layers can be added.  To make the buttercream place the butter, icing sugar, vanilla extract and milk into a bowl and mix together with a wooden spoon until smooth. 

6.  Spread the flat side of one of the cakes with jam, and the other with buttercream. 

7.  Gently sandwich the 2 halves together, and dust the top with a little icing sugar to finish. 

A little something for the weekend!

Cinnamon Sugar Muffins

Doughy muffins with a chocolate Nutella centre, with a sugar topping! These are amazing!

I converted this recipe from an American recipe - that's why some of the measurements are a little odd!

THE RECIPE

Cinnamon Sugar Muffins
(Makes 8)

For the Muffins:
76g unsalted butter (room temperature)
100g granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp of vanilla extract
120ml milk
192g plain flour
1 + 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
8 tsp Nutella (or other chocolate spread)

For the topping:
50g granulated sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
40g unsalted butter

1. Preheat the oven to 220C.  Layout muffin cases in a muffin tin - or grease the tin with buuter to bake straight into it. 

2. In a large bowl cream the butter and sugar together.  This can be done by hand or mixer (I used a wooden spoon and it turned out fine)

3. Mix in the egg, vanilla extract and milk.  The gently stir in the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt - don't over mix, just combine them until you get an even mixture. 

4. Put a tbsp of mixture into each muffin case, followed by a teaspoon of Nutella (as close to the centre as you can), then cover with another tbsp of the mixture.  Try to cover the nutella so the top of the muffin is sealed.  Don't worry if the cases are full, these muffins don't rise very much. 

5. Bake at 220C for 5 minutes, then reduce the heat to 180C and bake for another 15 minutes until the batter is set. 

6. Allow the muffins to cool for about 5 minutes on a baking tray, then begin to make the topping.  Melt the butter in the microwave for appox 20 seconds, until it's a thick liquid.  Then in a seperate bowl combine the granulated sugar and the cinnamon.  Now dip the top of each muffin into the butter, then dip into the topping mix, moving it around so all the butter is covered.  Repeat with all the muffins and then let them set on a baking tray. 

Lovely muffins that are a bit different and great served with a cup of tea!

I'm already planning to make them again!

Chocolate Cake Pops

I keep hearing about Cake Pops so thought I would try them out.  Small round cakes on sticks, very easy to eat!

 I bought a mould and some sticks on ebay (which cost me approx £6 in total) and set to work...

TO MAKE

1. I used a simple vanilla cupcake recipe:
Click HERE for link
This recipe could be halved and you'd easily get 12 cake pops!
2.  Place some mixture in each section of the mould - just so it's level.
3.  Then placed the top half of the mould on and baked in the oven.  Begin to check they are cooked after 15minutes - insert a kebab skewer into the hole in the mould - if it comes out clean they are ready.

 

4. Leave to cool slightly, then while they are still warm remove the top half of the mould and insert sticks.  I then used mugs to keep them upright while they fully cooled off.
5. Microwave chocolate in a bowl until it's melted (stir approx every 20 secs to avoid burning). Then roll the cake pops in the chocolate to coat them, return to the mugs to set.

They are delicious with milk or white chocolate, and far too easy to eat!

PS. Check your instructions that come with the mold before you start, just in case they're different!

Gingerbread biscuits

I love gingerbread, and this is a really good easy recipe!

THE RECIPE

Gingerbread biscuits
Makes a lot!
(This recipe fills 3-4 baking trays so you might want to halve the recipe if you're not baking for a group!)

350g plain flour
2tsp ground ginger
1tsp bicarbonate of soda
125g butter
150g soft dark brown sugar
4 tbsp golden syrup
1 medium egg
Chocolate drops (or decoration of your choice - raisins, icing, smarties etc.)

1. Preheat the oven to 180C and line 2 baking trays with baking paper. 

2. Sift the flour, ginger and bicarbonate of soda into a large mixing bowl and stir together with a wooden spoon.

3. Dice the butter and rub into the mixture with your fingers.  Continue until the mixture looks like fine breadcrumbs, then stir in the sugar. 

4.  Beat the egg, and add to the mixture along with the golden syrup.  Stir until the mixture starts to hold together like dough.  Get your hands in the bowl and make into a ball.

5.  Sprinkle some flour on a clean surface (to avoid sticking), and roll out the dough mixture with a rolling pin.  Roll until it's about 5mm thick and then use cookie cutters to cut the biscuits.  Re roll the left over mixture and continue until you've used it all up. 

6.  Place the biscuits on a baking tray (you'll probably need a spatula to transport them), and add the chocolate drops.  If you're using icing to stick decorations on this will need to be done after baking.  If you run out of room use baking paper to lay out the biscuits as this can easily be transferred onto the baking tray once the first batch is done. 

7.  Bake each batch for 10 minutes.  Allow the biscuits to cool slightly and enjoy!

These will keep for around 3 days if kept in a sealed container. 

Delicious enjoyed with a cup of tea!