Pina Colada Cupcakes

Another of the cocktail inspired cupcakes from my parents Silver Wedding Anniversary party. Pina Colada is my favourite cocktail, so this one just had to make an appearance!

Ingredients:
For the sponge:
200ml pineapple juice
125g unsalted butter
330g self raising flour
240g caster sugar
1.5 tsp baking powder
2 large eggs
75g dessicated coconut
50ml Malibu

For the frosting:
60g unsalted butter
250g icing sugar
25ml Malibu
Few drops yellow food colouring
Cocktail umbrellas to decorate
 
Preheat your oven to 180c and line a muffin tray with cases.

In a small saucepan, mix the butter and pineapple juice over a medium heat, until the butter has completely melted.
Remove from the heat and leave to cool for a couple of minutes.

In a large mixing bowl, mix the eggs and sugar, beating well.
Add the pineapple mixture to the bowl and stir until just combined.
Now, sift the flour and baking powder into the bowl and fold into the mixture, before stirring in the dessicated coconut and Malibu.

Spoon into the cases and bake for 20-25 minutes, until springy to the touch and a skewer inserted in the middle of a cake comes out clean. Leave to cool on a wire rack.

To make the frosting, cream the butter and half of the icing sugar together in a bowl. Add the Malibu and food colouring and mix in well before stirring in the remaining icing sugar.
Pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes and add a cocktail umbrella to decorate.

Mojito Cupcakes

 

My parents are celebrating their 25th Wedding Anniversary on Tuesday, and to celebrate, they had a huge garden party with all of their family and friends. My Mum gave me a two tiered dumb waiter to fill with as many cakes and bakes as I could; I filled the top tray with a selection of cocktail inspired cupcakes, decorated with all the usual cocktail garb, and on the second tray I had brownies and flapjacks... so the next few recipes will be everything that adorned my parents party, starting with mojito cupcakes!
 
Ingredients:
For the sponge:
6oz unsalted butter
6oz golden caster sugar
3 eggs
6oz self raising flour
1tsp baking powder
2tsp chopped mint leaves
Zest of a lime
Juice of 1/2 a lime
50ml white rum
 
For the frosting:
60g unsalted butter
250g icing sugar
25ml white rum
Few drops green food colouring
Straws and small slithers of lime to decorate
 
Pre-heat your oven to 180c and line your muffin tin with cases.
 
In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until soft. Add the eggs, and mix until just combined.
Sift in the flour and baking powder and fold into the mixture, making sure to get rid of any lumps.
Next, add the chopped mint leaves, lime juice and zest, and rum and gently mix into the batter until the mint leaves are evenly distributed.
Spoon the mix into the cases and bake for 20-25 minutes, until the tops are golden and springy to the touch, and a skewer inserted into the middle of a cake comes out clean. Place on a wire rack to cool.
 
For the frosting, use a spoon to cream together the butter and half of the icing sugar in a bowl. Next add the rum and food colouring and stir in before adding the rest of the icing sugar and mixing until thoroughly combined.
Once the cakes are cool, use a piping bag to spiral the frosting onto each cake. Decorate with a short length of straw and slither of lime.

Chocolate Biscuit Truffles

Stuck for a birthday present idea? Why not try making truffles! Admittedly, it's not the easiest thing to make in this heat, hence these not being very round, but if your struggling when it comes to rolling the mix into balls with it melting in your hands, try this tip: have a big glass of icy water next to your bowl, and between truffles, place your hands on the outside of the glass to keep them cool. It's messy work, but it's worth it!

Ingredients:
300g dark chocolate, chopped
300ml double cream
50g unsalted butter
75g biscuits (Nice work well, as does shortbread or digestives)
Cocoa powder for dusting

In a saucepan, gently heat the cream and butter until it just starts to boil. Remove from the heat immediately and add the chopped chocolate. Leave for a couple of minutes before stirring in and making sure it's well combined.
Place the biscuits in a sealed sandwich bag and crush with a rolling pin. You want the pieces to be fairly small, the biggest being about the size of a Skittle or Smartie.
Stir the crushed biscuits into the chocolate mix and leave in the fridge for approx. 4 hours, until it's firm enough to roll into balls.

Once it is firm enough, sprinkle a little cocoa powder onto a plate and get your glass of icy water ready. Now for the messy part! Use a spoon to scoop up a heaped teaspoons worth of mix and lightly roll it into a ball using the tips of your fingers (your fingers are cooler than the palms of your hand). Once you've shaped the truffle, roll it in the cocoa powder and place on a plate. Once all the truffles have been shaped and coated, return them to the fridge for at least an hour before serving.

If you need to wash your hands between rolling the truffles, make sure they are completely dry before rolling the next one as water will make the truffle mix melt quicker.

Try adding chopped hazelnuts or dessicated coconut for different variations.

Banana and Maple Upside Down Cake

Having an abundance of bananas in the fruit bowl made me want to make banana bread, but after a quick scan online for inspiration, I settled on this cake instead. It's full of banana and nuts and is covered in a sticky maple glaze, and it's great hot from the oven as well as cut into squares or bars for a party or picnic!

Ingredients:
2 ripe bananas
1 over-ripe banana, mashed
100g unsalted butter
8tbsp maple syrup
200g light muscovado sugar
4 eggs
1tsp vanilla essence
250g self raising flour
50g chopped nuts (I used almonds, but I think pecans would be better)
Pinch of bicarbonate of soda
200g Greek yogurt

Pre-heat your oven to 160c. Grease a square baking tin/dish and line the base with greaseproof paper.

Pour half of the maple syrup into the bottom of the tin and spread evenly over the base. Slice the two ripe bananas length ways and lay these flat side down in the tin.

In a bowl, add the butter, sugar, eggs,vanilla and the mashed banana and mix with an electric whisk until well combined.
Sift in the flour and bicarbonate of soda and fold into the mixture before stirring in the chopped nuts and yogurt. Once it's all combined, carefully pour the mix into the tin, taking care not to move the bananas on the base. Bake for 45-50 minutes, until the top is lightly golden, springy to the touch and a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean.

While it's still hot, poke holes all over the top of the cake with a skewer and pour over the rest of the maple syrup. Leave for a few minutes until the syrup has soaked into the cake before turning it out upside down.

If serving warm, it's great with clotted cream ice cream and a bit of extra syrup!

Pimms and Lemonade Cupcakes

A different alternative to the Jack and Coke cupcakes, these are really light and fruity. Again, you can swap the Pimms for any spirit you prefer - try gin and tonic or rum and ginger beer! The possibilities are endless!

Ingredients:
For the sponge:
200ml cloudy lemonade
125g unsalted butter
4 tbsp Pimms
330g self raising flour
240g caster sugar
1.5 tsp baking powder
2 large eggs
120ml sour cream
1 tbsp chopped mint leaves
 
For the ganache:
150g white chocolate, chopped
150ml double cream
1 tbsp Pimm's

For the frosting:
60g unsalted butter
250g icing sugar
3 tbsp Pimms
Few drops red food colouring
Strawberry sweets to decorate

Preheat your oven to 180c and line a muffin tray with cases.

Mix the butter and lemonade over a medium heat, until the butter has completely melted.
Remove from the heat and add the Pimms and mix again. Leave to cool for a couple of minutes.

In a large mixing bowl, mix the eggs and sour cream together before adding the sugar and beating well.
Add the lemonade mixture to the bowl and stir until just combined.
Now, sift the flour and baking powder into the bowl and fold into the mixture, before stirring in the chopped mint leaves.

Fill cake cases two-thirds to three-quarters full. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until risen and just firm to the touch. Leave to cool on a wire rack. You can make the ganache whilst the cupcakes are cooking/cooling.

Heat the cream in a saucepan until just boiling. Remove from the heat immediately and add the chocolate pieces. Leave to sit and melt for a few minutes and then stir until smooth.
Add the butter and Pimms and stir. Leave to cool in the fridge for 10 minutes.

Once the cakes are cool, cut a well in the centres of the cakes and put the cut outs to one side. Using a piping bag (or a steady hand and spoon!) fill the wells with the chocolate ganache. I found this one soaked into the sponge more than the Jack and Coke ones, so if you find this too, fill them a second time and then replace the sponge you cut out into any remaining gaps. 

To make the frosting, cream the butter until very light and fluffy. Slowly add the icing sugar, a few tbsps at a time, and gentle mix in.
After adding about three-quarters of the icing sugar, drizzle in the Pimms and food colouring and make sure it's combined thoroughly.
Add the rest of the icing sugar and mix until well combined.

Pipe the buttercream icing onto the cupcakes and add a strawberry sweet on the top to decorate.

Jack Daniels and Coke Cupcakes

Jack Daniels and coke cupcakes. What more can I say! These are great for parties, and just go to show that not all cupcakes are girly! They even have a hidden pocket of gooey chocolate ganache in the centre.You can easy swap the whiskey for any other spirit too, vodka and coke would work great or maybe spiced rum!
 
Ingredients:
For the sponge:
200ml Coca-Cola (full fat - not diet!)
125g unsalted butter
90g cocoa powder
4 tbsp Jack Daniel's whiskey
240g self raising flour
240g caster sugar
1.5 tsp baking powder
2 large eggs
120ml sour cream
 
For the ganache:
150g plain chocolate, chopped
150ml double cream
1 tbsp Jack Daniel's whiskey
 
For the frosting:
60g unsalted butter
250g icing sugar
3 tbsp Jack Daniel's Whiskey
Fizzy cola bottles to decorate
 
Preheat your oven to 180c and line a muffin tray with cases.

Mix the butter and Coca-Cola over a medium heat, until the butter has completely melted.
Remove from the heat and sift in the cocoa powder, mixing until smooth. Add the whiskey and mix again. Leave to cool for a couple of minutes.

In a large mixing bowl, mix the eggs and sour cream together before adding the sugar and beating well.
Add the Coca-Cola mixture to the bowl and stir until just combined.
Now, sift the flour and baking powder into the bowl and fold into the mixture.

Fill cake cases two-thirds to three-quarters full. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until risen and just firm to the touch. Leave to cool on a wire rack. You can make the ganache whilst the cupcakes are cooking/cooling.

Heat the cream in a saucepan until just boiling. Remove from the heat immediately and add the chocolate pieces. Leave to sit and melt for a few minutes and then stir until smooth.
Add the butter and whiskey and stir. Leave to cool in the fridge for 10 minutes.

Once the cakes are cool, cut a well in the centres of the cakes (feel free to eat this as you go along!) and using a piping bag (or a steady hand and spoon!) fill the wells with the chocolate ganache.

To make the frosting, cream the butter until very light and fluffy. Slowly add the icing sugar, a few tbsps at a time, and gentle mix in.
After adding about three-quarters of the icing sugar, drizzle in the whiskey and mix in well.
Add the rest of the icing sugar and mix until well combined.

Pipe the buttercream icing onto the cupcakes and add a cola bottle on the top to decorate.

Jam Tarts

If you’ve got friends or family coming over, and you don’t have the time to spend ages in the kitchen making cakes, why not just make some jam tarts? Everyone likes jam tarts, don’t they? If you skip the homemade pastry part and have ready-made shortcrust pastry, you can have these done and ready to eat in less than 20 minutes. I also added a bit of streusel topping to these ones as I had some left over from this recipe.

Ingredients:

1 egg

125g golden caster sugar

1 tsp vanilla essence

250g plain flour

125g butter, cubed

Any flavour jam and/or lemon curd

To make the pastry, put the egg and sugar into a bowl and whisk until the sugar has dissolved into the egg.

Then sift the flour into the bowl and mix well, making sure there are no pockets of flour, until it is sandy in texture.

Lastly, add the butter and cut in with a pastry cutter or butter knife, until it forms a sticky ball.

Turn the dough out onto a light floured surface and knead together for a few minutes to get rid of any lumps of butter, then wrap in clingfilm or greaseproof paper and put in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.

Pre-heat your oven to 180c and lightly grease a couple of cupcake trays.

To make the tarts, roll out the pastry onto a lightly floured surface to the thickness of a £1 coin. Use a round cookie cutter that is slightly bigger than the cupcake holes to cut out the tart cases, re-rolling the off cuts, until all the dough is used up.

Line each cupcake hole with a pastry case, and add a heaped teaspoon of jam/lemon curd to the centre of each case.

Bake for 15 minutes, until the jam is bubbling slightly and the pastry is lightly browned.