Cupcakes

Is there any one who doesn't love a cupcake? These yummy morsels are just right for any occasion from children's birthday parties, to elegant high teas or to serve as individual celebration cakes for weddings, engagements and special events.

Decorating cupcakes is easy and fun. You don't need to be an expert. Some of the prettiest cupcakes are the simplest of all. Some glace icing and a flower or glace cherry can look stunning and takes no time at all. While some of the more complex decorations can take a little longer, the results are spectacular.

Check out our cupcake recipe below which will show you how to make cupcakes from scratch. This is my favourite recipe and never fails.

CUPCAKE RECIPE

This is my favourite cupcake recipe and never fails.

INGREDIENTS

160g (5 ½ oz) butter, chopped, at room temperature
3/4 cup caster sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla essence
3 eggs
1 1/3 cups self-raising flour, sifted
2 tbs milk

METHOD

1. Preheat oven to moderate, 170°C (325°F). Line a 12-hole muffin pan with paper paper cases.

2. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

3. Fold in flour, alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour. Spoon mixture into cases until 2/3 full.

4. Bake for 15 minutes until cooked when tested. Cool in pan for 5 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

5. Cover with favourite frosting and decorate as desired.

FROSTINGS

BUTTER CREAM

125g (4 oz) butter, softened
1 ½ cups icing sugar
2 tablespoons milk

Beat butter in small bowl with electric mixer until as white as possible; beat in sifted icing sugar and milk, in two batches. Add any flavoured essence or extract you like. Beat it in with the butter for the best flavour.

GANACHE

½ cup cream
200g (6 ½ oz) chocolate (milk or dark), or
360g (11 ½ oz) white chocolate, chopped coarsely

Bring cream to the boil in a small saucepan; remove from heat. When bubbles subside, add chocolate; stir until smooth.
NOTE: Prepare cakes for covering with ganache by spreading with apricot jam that has been sieved– this will seal the cakes.

GLACE ICING

2 cups icing sugar
1 teaspoon butter
2 tablespoons hot water, approximately

Sift icing sugar into small heatproof bowl; stir in butter and enough of the hot water to make a thick paste. Place bowl over small saucepan of simmering water; stir until icing is spreadable. It’s important that the icing only be warm, not hot while being stirred – do not overheat.

LEMON GLAZE

1 cup pure icing sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice, approximately

Sift icing sugar into small heatproof bowl; stir in enough strained juice to give a thick pouring consistency. Stir icing mixture over small saucepan of simmering water until thin enough to make an opaque glaze.
NOTE: The glaze needs to be poured and spread quickly while it is warm, as it begins to set as soon as it starts to cool.