How about these scrumptious beauties from Crumbs & Doilies, UK? It makes me so happy to look at these little treats of joy! Note to self: must order cupcakes when back in London.
These guys are the best of the best, when it comes to creating stylish and delicious cupcakes, I just had to share these pics from their blog. Go check out what other little wonders they have!
I've also done a run around for some of the best and most basic cupcake recipes (fairy cakes to the folks in the UK). I also found the perfect Vegan Cupcake blog too with an incredible range of recipes that will tickle any vegans fancy! My vegan friends will sure appreciate this for sure!The information below is sourced from the Telegraph.FAST VANILLA CUPCAKES
Makes 12
A simple recipe to top with icing and decorations. Vary the flavour at whim (see box, below, for ideas for fillings).
- 4oz/115g butter, at room temperature
- 4oz/115g caster sugar
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- half tsp vanilla extract
- 4oz/115g self-raising flour
Preheat the oven to 170C/325F/gas mark 3. Line a 12-hole cupcake tin with paper cases.
In the food processor or a tabletop mixer, beat the butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla until smooth.
Turn off the motor and add the flour. With the pulse button, or brief bursts of the beater, mix the flour in, stopping as soon as it is blended.
Divide the mixture between the paper cases.
Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden and springy to the touch.
HUMMINGBIRD CUPCAKES
Makes 12 large (or 18 regular size)
Why this recipe from the southern states is called "hummingbird" is a mystery. Perhaps it's because it's nectar-sweet and vaguely tropical.
For the cupcake version, I like to make a little hummingbird to place on top, with a raspberry head, a mint leaf tail and a sliver of vanilla pod (one that has already had its seeds scraped out and has been living in the caster sugar jar) for the needle-like beak.
- 7oz/200g self-raising flour
- 8oz/225g caster sugar
- 3floz/85ml vegetable oil
- 2oz/60g chopped pecan nuts
- 1 large banana, mashed (about 4oz/110g)
- 4oz/110g pineapple, chopped (tinned or fresh)
- Half tsp vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
For the icing:
- The grated zest of an orange
- One quantity of cream-cheese frosting (see box, below)
- Raspberries or other soft fruit
- Frosted mint leaves
- Slivers of vanilla pod
Preheat the oven to 170C/325F/gas mark 3. Line a 12-hole cupcake tin with paper liners.
Making the cake couldn't be easier: just put all the ingredients in a bowl and stir together. Divide the mixture between the cupcake liners.
Bake for 20-25 minutes until risen and golden.
Cool the cakes on a wire rack.
To decorate:
Beat the orange zest into the cream cheese frosting.
Cut a slice from the top of each cake and cut the slice in half to make the hummingbird's wings and use the remaining ingredients to make the head, tail and beak.
Pipe the frosting on to the cupcakes.
RED VELVET CUPCAKES
Makes 12
These are the Dolly Parton of cupcakes, artificially coloured, unashamedly vulgar and absolutely irresistible. The base, a vanilla cake with a hint of chocolate, tinted deep red, is another Southern speciality cake, made famous when it was chosen as the wedding cake in the 1989 weepie Steel Magnolias.
- 5oz/140g self-raising flour
- 2 tbsp cocoa
- Half tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 4floz/110ml buttermilk
- 1 tsp vinegar
- Half tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp red food colouring
- 2oz/60g butter at room temperature
- 6oz/170g caster sugar
- 1 large egg
To decorate:
- Cream-cheese frosting (see box) and fresh cherries
Preheat the oven to 170C/325F/gas mark 3. Line a 12-hole cup cake tin with cases.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, bicarb and a pinch of salt. In a mug, mix the buttermilk, vinegar, vanilla and red food colouring.
Beat the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy. Beat in the egg a little at a time. Mix in a third of the flour mixture, followed by half the buttermilk mixture, then another third of the flour, the rest of the buttermilk and finally the last of the flour mixture.
Divide the mixture between the paper cases. Bake for 20 minutes, until risen and springy - don't overcook them.
Cool on a rack.
To decorate, pipe on the frosting and top with a cherry.
LEMON MERINGUE CUPCAKES
These little cakes are squidgy and intensely lemony. They are very good with or without the frivolous meringue topping. If you do decide to gild the lily, be sure to use the shiny foil cake cases, since paper ones may singe when the meringue is being browned. Baked in tiny petit four cases, these are delicious after dinner with coffee.
- 4oz/110g butter, at room temperature
- 4oz/110g caster sugar
- 2oz/60g ground almonds
- Grated zest of 2 lemons, juice of 1
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 2oz/60g self-raising flour
- 4oz/110g icing sugar
To decorate:
- 2 egg whites
- 4oz/110g caster sugar
Preheat the oven to 170C/325F/gas mark 3. Line a 12-hole cupcake tin with foil cases.
In the food processor or by hand, beat the butter and sugar together until pale and light. Beat in the almonds and lemon zest, followed by the eggs a little at a time. Add the flour and pulse until just combined.
Divide the mixture between the foil cases. Bake for 20 minutes, until springy and touched with brown (they won't rise as much as regular cupcakes). Meanwhile mix the lemon juice and icing sugar to make a syrup. Spoon the syrup over the hot cakes, then leave to cool in the tin.
To decorate: beat the egg whites until stiff, then beat in the sugar a little at a time until stiff and smooth. Use this shaving foam-like mixture to fill a piping bag, and pipe over the cupcakes. Brown with a blow torch or under a preheated, fiercely hot grill.
TOP TIPS FOR MAKING CUPCAKES
Use paper cases that fit the cake tins snugly, or they'll either spread too much or wrinkle up. Annoyingly, sizes aren't standardised, so measure your tin's cup size before buying cases.
Use butter and eggs at room temperature for lighter cakes.
Don't get any mixture on the edges of the cupcake case: it will burn and may stop the cake rising evenly.
Turn the tin round after 12 minutes or so if your oven has hot spots.
If all else fails, buy ready-made and ice them yourself. (Best cheat: ready-made cupcakes that are not filled too high look most homemade when flooded with fondant icing - try Asda's cakes with Tate & Lyle fondant icing mix.)
Ideas for fillings - I have to add that if you want to have a filled cupcake (with jam, chocolate etc) you can either fill half the cupcake case with mixure before spooning in a bit of jam/chocolate then fill the rest of the cupcake with mixure then bake. Alternatively, i have seen peeps cut a cone from the top of the cupcake then pipe whatever they want in it then replace the cake plug to seal it in. Wilton's also have the perfect accessory for piping in the filling.
Lemon curd (Homemade or Duchy Originals do a good one) Chocolate Spread (Marks and Spencer's Fairtrade Chocolate Sauce is to die for)
Raspberry Jam
Whipped cream, lightly sweetened
A cherry soaked in Kirsch (from a jar)
Cream-cheese frosting
This is really a buttercream icing, made with cream cheese rather than purely butter, which cuts the sweetness a bit.
- 11oz/300g cream cheese
- 2oz/60g butter at room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 12oz/340g icing sugar
Whizz all the ingredients together in a food processor. Chill for an hour or so before using.
The Observer has 3 superb recipes!
Magnolia Bakery's red velvet cake with creamy vanilla frosting
Makes around 24 cupcakes
For the cakes:
500g plain flour
165g unsalted butter, softened
500g sugar
3 large eggs, at room temperature
6 tbsp red food colouring
3 tbsp unsweetened cocoa
1½ tsp vanilla extract
1½ tsp salt
330ml buttermilk
1½ tsp cider vinegar
1½ tsp baking soda
For the frosting:
6 tbsp plain flour
440ml milk
450g unsalted butter, softened
450g sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 180C/gas mark 4. In a small bowl, sift the plain flour. Set aside. In a large bowl, on the medium speed of an electric mixer, cream the butter until smooth. Add the sugar gradually and beat until fluffy, about three minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Whisk together the red food colouring, unsweetened cocoa powder and vanilla. Add to the batter and beat well.
Stir the salt in with the buttermilk and add to the batter in three parts, alternating with flour. With each addition, beat until the ingredients are fully incorporated, but make sure you do not overbeat.
In a small bowl, stir together the cider vinegar and baking soda and add to the batter and mix well.
Divide the mixture into cases, then bake each tray of cakes for 20 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean.
Cool the cupcakes in the tins for 15 minutes. Remove from the tins and cool completely on a wire rack before mixing together the frosting ingredients and applying the icing.
Dan Lepard's vanilla cupcakes
What makes these new-look cupcakes magnificent is their size. They're baked in large muffin cases and topped with a jaunty swirl of butter frosting to give them a Dior glamour. But underneath beats the heart of an old-fashioned pound-cake, albeit one with a touch more flour to give a soft volcano peak.
For the cakes:
125g caster sugar
125g unsalted butter, very soft
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla essence
150g plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
For the frosting:
75g unsalted butter, very soft
250g icing sugar
75g sweetened condensed milk
75ml double cream
In the bowl of an upright electric mixer, beat the sugar, butter, eggs and vanilla for three minutes on the highest speed until light and fluffy. Sift the flour and baking powder two or three times (this stops tunnels forming in the crumb), then add to the butter mix and beat for 30 seconds. Spoon into eight muffin cups placed in the pockets of a muffin tray, and set aside to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4. Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden and firm. Leave to cool.
For the frosting, get the butter as soft as possible without melting, then put in a bowl with the other ingredients. Whisk until smooth and fluffy, then top each cupcake with a thick swirl. The sugar in the frosting means it will keep at cool room temperature.
· Go to danlepard.com/guardian for more baking tips
Allegra McEvedy's English strawberry cupcakes
Makes 18 little ones or one large one
55g butter, melted
2 eggs, room temperature
1 tbsp milk
120g self-raising flour
140g caster sugar, plus a little more for sprinkling
1 tsp baking powder
Pinch of salt
Punnet of English strawberries
200g mascarpone
About 5 tbsp grappa
Pre-heat the oven to 180°C/350°f/gas mark 4.
Thoroughly combine the eggs and milk in a food mixer or with an electric whisk, then add all but 20g of the sugar, beating hard. Sift in the flour, baking powder and salt, and gently fold in with a wooden spoon. Stir in the butter.
I used small (5cm wide x 2cm deep) muffin tins, but you can also make one big one, about 20cm across. Grease with butter, then shake a little flour round. Load in your cake mix, nearly up to the top for the wee ones, and bake for 10-12 mins, or 15-20 for a big one.
Hull and halve the strawberries and put in a shallow bowl with a sprinkling of sugar and the grappa. Stir gently for a few minutes. Mix the mascarpone with the remaining sugar.
Once cooked, let the cakes stand for five minutes in the tin, then lever them out on to a cooling rack. Drizzle some strawberry grappa on each, then, when room temp, splodge on some mascarpone and top with a strawberry. The leftover strawberries and grappa make a knock-your-socks-off digestif.
· Allegra McEvedy is co-founder of fast-food chain Leon. Her colour cookbook is published by Kyle Cathie Ltd at £19.99. To order a copy for £18.99 with free UK p&p go to guardian.co.uk/bookshop or call 0870 836 0875.
