Bulletproof gluten-free dr pepper cupcakes!

I recently came across a recipe for Dr Pepper cupcakes and fell in love.  I knew I had to make them mine. 

I knew a certain amazing rollergirl shared my love of Dr Pepper and needed some special cupcakes so this is for her.  BUT...they needed to be gluten free.  So began my gluten free adventure!

The original recipe can be found here (amazing blog, check it out!).  I followed it completly but I left out the oil and added more butter (not for any reason, I just forgot to buy oil) and instead of flour I used gluten free flour and more baking powder than they asked for.  I discovered gluten free flour doesn't soak up as much as normal flour so I needed to more than the 500g suggested...probably about 550 in the end but just add till it feels right.  I think next time I might try adding xanthan gum instead of more flour but we'll see.

It tastes like sex.  Except better.

Messy photo but I wanted to show the frosting filling.  I swear, i'm addicted to coring and filling cupcakes.

CUSTARD!

After a particularly satisfying vanilla custard Muller Rice today I felt the need for custard.  All the custard.  So I decided to make a custard cream cupcake!  It's not big and fancy but I had a need and baking provided it :D

Vanilla cake

125g butter
125 caster sugar
125g self-raising flour
1tsp baking powder
2 eggs
vanilla

• Preheat the oven to 180oC and fill a cupcake tin with cases.
• Cream the butter and sugar together until...creamy.  Add a tsp of vanilla.
• Add the eggs to the butter and sugar one by one whisking as you go.  Don't worry if it curdles!
• Add the flour and baking powder (this will kill the curdle)
• Divide the mixture between the cases and bake for 20 minutes or until golden on top and cooked through.

I hoped this recipe would make 12 but I got about 7 cupcakes out of it.  I make quite large cupcakes though!

Vanilla whipped cream frosting

300ml double cream
4 tbsp icing sugar
vanilla

• Whip the cream until a pipe-able consistency.
• Stir in icing sugar and a tsp of vanilla.  If it's not sweet enough for you add more icing sugar.

Custard filling

2 egg yolks (yolks only!)
290ml milk (you can use whole but I used skimmed and it still tastes awesome)
Vanilla
1 tbsp caster sugar

• Heat the milk slowly with the vanilla (use vanilla pod if you can but if not a good extract will do) until just about boiling point.  Remove from the heat.
• Whisk the egg yolks and the sugar together.
• Add a splash of the heated milk to the egg mixture and whisk like crazy.
• Add the remainder of the milk to the egg mixture whisking as you go.
• Put the mix back into the saucepan and onto the heat.
• Stir until it reaches the correct custard consistency.
• If it manages to split (mine did...) you need to whisk, maybe alot.  I found once it cooled down it was fine.  Plus, it's in the cake and as long as it tastes good the job is done!

I'm a little obsessed at the moment with coring the middle of the cupcake and filling it with tasty treats and that's what i've done here.  Use a corer (or knife/spoon) and cut out a hole in the cupcake but don't go all the way to the base.  Fill in the hole with the custard. Frosting over hole. Simple :D

Can you see the custard filling INSIDE!  Woahs.

This was my first time using a whipped cream frosting and I totally love how much easier it is than buttercream.  I've had so many buttercream rages!  Only thing is it doesn't seem to keep it's shape that long, but I think I could of had it in the fridge longer.

Also, first time doing a new piping technique called Rose piping.  I think i've got it down. 

So there you have it, my custard cream cupcake.  Enjoy!

Cranachan cupcakes ftw

After the success of my chocolate cherry cupcakes (made before the birth of this blog) I wanted to try creating my own cupcake recipes more.  The thought of taking familiar desserts and puddings and making cupcakes out of them is a concept that appeals to me...and what better dessert than a cranachan triffle!

For the cake

• 125g unsalted butter
• 125g caster sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• 125g self-raising flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 125g raspberries (I used frozen, just as good)

For the icing

• tub of mascarpone cheese
• 100 ml of double cream
• 100g icing sugar
• 4 tbsp of whiskey

For the hazelnut crunch

• 100g hazelnuts, rougly chopped
• 140g unsalted butter
• 4 tbsp honey
• 200g oats
• 100g caster sugar
• 85g plain flour

For the raspberry sauce

• 125g raspberries (frozen ftw)
• 40g caster sugar

To make the cakes

1. Preheat the oven to 180oC and line the holes of the miffin tin with muffin cases.
2. Add the butter, caster sugar and vanilla extract together and cream together until light and fluffy (about 7 minutes).
3. Add the eggs, one by one, and mix for 2 minutes.
4. Mix the flour and baking powder together in a separate bowl, then add to the wet mix and mix until incorperated (less mixing is more).  Add the raspberries and give a final stir.
5. Divide the mix between the cases and bake for 25 minutes and then leave to cool.

To make the frosting

1. Whisk the mascarpone cheese with half of the cream.
2. Add the icing sugar and continue to whisk.
3. If frosting is too thick add more cream, if not thick enough add more icing sugar.
4. Add whiskey.

To make the hazelnut crunch

1. Heat oven to 180oC.
2.  Melt the butter and honey in a large saucepan, then stir in the other ingredients until everything is well coated. Spread out on a baking sheet, then bake for 20 mins until crisp. Cool, crumble into pieces, then set aside.

To make the raspberry sauce

1. Heat raspberries and sugar (slowly and to taste) in a pan until combined.

Combine all of the above and you get this!

For an extra raspberry touch you can pipe some raspberry sauce INTO the cake, it's pretty cool :)

Happy food day week

 PANCAAAAAAAAKES!

 

200g self-raising flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 egg

300ml milk

knob butter

150g pack blueberries

sunflower oil or a little butter for cooking

golden or maple syrup

1. Mix together the flour, baking powder and a pinch of salt in a large bowl. Beat the egg with the milk, make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and whisk in the milk to make a thick smooth batter. Beat in the melted butter, and gently stir in half the blueberries.
2. Heat a teaspoon of oil or small knob of butter in a large non-stick frying pan. Drop a large tablespoonful of the batter per pancake into the pan to make pancakes about 7.5cm across. Make three or four pancakes at a time. Cook for about 3 minutes over a medium heat until small bubbles appear on the surface of each pancake, then turn and cook another 2-3 minutes until golden. Cover with kitchen paper to keep warm while you use up the rest of the batter. Serve with golden syrup and the rest of the blueberries.

You can make these vegan by taking out the egg (curse you unnecessary egg!) and using vegan butter and soya milk.  Tastes just the same, if not better.  Mmmm soya milk. 

I'll be making these later then uploading photos.  I may also put nuts on mine ;)

Oh I almost forgot!  It's British Pie Week!  Get them pies out.

Muffins for all!

A miserable gray day has created the need for muffins! I've made these rather healthy looking blueberry and banana muffins :D





Ingrediants


300g self-raising flour


1 tsp bicarb of soda


100g light muscovado sugar


50g porridge oats, plus 2 tbsps for later.


2 medium bananas


284ml buttermilk


5 tbsp vegetable oil


2 egg whites


150g blueberries

• Heat oven to 180C and line 12-hole muffin tin with paper cases. Tip the flour and bicarb of soda into a large bowl. Hold back 1 tbsp of the sugar, then mix the remainder with the flour and 50g oats. Make a well in the centre. In a separate bowl, mash the bananas until nearly smooth. Stir the buttermilk, oil and egg whires into the mashed banana until evenly combined.


• Pour the liquid mixture into the well and stir quickly and sparingly with a wooden spoon. The mix will look lumpy and may have the odd fleck of flour still visable, but don't over-mix. Tip in the blueberries and give it one more stir. Divide the mix between the muffin cases (they will be quite full, this is ok) then sprinkly the tops with the oats and the rest of the sugar. Bake for 18-20 minutes until risen and dark golden. Cool for 5 minutes in the tray before lifting out to cool completely.

Also, don't lick the buttermilk. Just don't.

Cake beginnings

Woah, first post!

To be honest I don't have anything ground breaking to say, in fact i'll probably astound you with how much unimportant dribble pours from my brain to my fingers...but I love cake. Everything that is good and honest and right in this world can be found in a cake and I want to be a part of that.

I don't know where my cake journey will take me, it could be to obesity or it could lead me to my cake dream of owning Forever Cakes.

To get me started off here are a couple of books I need in my life