Salted Caramel Cupcakes

Short Black Cupcakes and a Visit with a Friend

My friend Michele and I are old school friends. We both braved and suffered through going to St Mary's College and became best friends who did everything together. She is the only school friend I have any contact with and even after many years of losing touch with each other as she did her big OE, when we re met it was as if no time at all had past. That's the true sign of a great and life long friend. I met Kym and Mary when I was only about 18 years old through Michele who had met them through a flatmate of hers. Many a great and memorable party was had at their place in School Rd, Morningside and (other than Michele), they really mark the beginning of my adult years. Kym's extension of his arm is his camera and he has always been able to see life through it's lens in an incredibly unique way. His archives of life must now be phenomenal as even when I knew him, we used to spend hours looking through his many many photo albums. I would love to one day see the photos of that time of my life and remember how things really were and maybe re live a little of it. That's the beauty of photographs! 

Kym now lives in Melbourne and we were lucky enough to score a bit of his time to catch up properly over some Margaritas, nibbles and of course home baking (is there ever any occasion where home baking isn't a requirement?). It was a lovely few hours spent with old friends remembering the good old days and talking of the present too. I whipped up my delicious lemon shortcake which is an absolute favourite and these Short Black Cupcakes from Donna Hay. I'm not sure if I would make the icing this way again but I was still glad to make something a little different even if I didn't love it. I'll give you the recipe though and you can choose for yourself. The cupcakes themselves were delicious and very very easy to make so I'll do those again.

Short Black Cupcakes

125 g butter, softened

3/4 c caster sugar

2 eggs

1 1/4 c self raising flour

3 Tbsp cocoa

1/2 c milk

100 g dark chocolate, melted and cooled to almost room temperature

Preheat the oven to 160 C (140C fan bake). Line muffins tins (the recipe uses mini muffin tins which must give it the 'short black' name but I used normal tins and got about 15 cupcakes).

Cream the butter and sugar until light and creamy. Add the eggs one at a time beating well after each one. Sift over the flour and cocoa and mix well. Fold through the milk and stir through the chocolate. Spoon into the tins.

Bake about 20 mins for the normal sized tins (or about 10 mins for the mini ones)

Coffee Icing

1 c caster sugar

1/4 c water

1/4 tsp cream of tartar

2 Tbsp instant coffee

3 egg whites

Place the sugar, water, cream of tartar and coffee into a pot. Stir over a high heat until the sugar is dissolved. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 3 minutes. Place the egg whites into a bowl and beat until soft peaks form. With the motor running slowly pour in the syrup and beat until thick and glossy. Spread over the cupcakes and grate over some dark chocolate. Enjoy with old friends.

Michele (aka Moishy) and Kym

The lovely Mary

Harry and Kym...Harry was lucky enough to score these Batman glasses from Kym 

Me, Kym and Moish

Moish, Me, Kym and Mary

Kym, Me and Dons

Kym doing what his life long passion of photography

Archie wanting in on the action...check out that bottom jaw!

And finally the most beautiful and divine Holly (Michele's little baby girl)

Macaroon Cupcakes and Presents

Macaroon Cupcakes

This (and a few of my following posts) is a little late. Although I have been on annual leave for the two weeks leading up to Xmas, it has been SO busy with the end of year bits and pieces, Harry's birthday and Xmas looming (and that's not everything), that blogging is the last thing I have felt like doing or have had the time to do. So I have to do it in bursts like this so at least some things get a post before I forget where I got the recipe from or what I have made!

I made these for Harry's two dance teachers and for his lovely and amazing teacher at school. I love giving things that are homemade as I think so much more thought has to go into it as well as effort to make it. I kept the decorations pretty simple and indulged in my love for all this rainbow glitter of which I have an ever expanding range of colours. That stuff is AMAZING and can make something simple looks just that much more glamourous. I have now got a couple of different chocolate moulds which are so easy to use with white chocolate melts (no need to temper the chocolate!) then brushed with some lustre dust to give it some shine.

For the flavours I made a plain but rich chocolate with chocolate buttercream and a Macaroon with a Chocolate Ganache. The recipe was from my favourite cupcake cookbook called Miss Melicious Cupcakes and I highly recommend you purchasing it. Because she's a local girl and I like to support local business (especially ones like this), I won't post the recipe here but I could pm it to you if you want it. It's delicious cupcake and one which I will make again. But honestly, put this book on your Santa list and if you are really really good you might get it for Xmas.

Cupcakes for an 18th Birthday

A photo post of these cupcakes I made for a friend of a friend's daughter who was turning 18. They are just my usual yummy chocolate cupcakes with a chocolate buttercream. I made the flowers beforehand but didn't make enough big ones which explains those that just have the little ones on them. Unfortunately the colours don't show as well as they looked but I have to say they looked pretty lovely in the 'flesh'. The lustre dust (gold for the jade ones and silver for the pink ones), and edible glitter just completed the prettiness of them. Most importantly she seemed to like them.

Baking for Simon- Strawberry Cupcakes Part 2

This was the second flavour I made. I have had a few packets of that amazing Fresh As Freeze Dried Fruit powders in my cupboard for awhile so thought I really should use some of them up. As I had the most of the strawberry one this was the flavour I went with. These powders are phenomenal. The flavour hit is intense and it's nice knowing the flavour and colour is totally natural. I made a recipe I saw on Julie Le Clerc's new tv program called Cafe Secrets. She made passionfuit cupcakes with raspberry icing and called them Tutti Fruity Cupcakes. I just followed the recipe for the cupcake part and made up the icing so it had butter, cream cheese, fruit powder (you need a fair bit to get the flavour intensity you want), a bit of vanilla and some milk to get it to the consistency you want. You can find the recipe for the cupcakes here. These cupcakes seem to taste better today than they did yesterday but maybe that's because I was so sugared out my tastebuds were sugar-overwhelmed. You could use any flavour you want from the range- plum or passionfruit would be nice....

Baking for Simon- Triple Lemon Cupcakes Part 1

Packed and waiting 

I have SO much to blog about I have been putting it off. However as I sit here on the couch with my first cold of the year I have some time to do it....and there is nothing on the telly to distract me as I have caught up with the pre recorded programs I never have time to watch. The most unfortunate thing about this cold is that I have coughed so much I now have fully fledged Laryngitis. I can't remember the last time this happened to me but it feels almost claustrophobic not being able to talk. Those of you who know me will also know how much of a talker I am so to know that is to know the hell I am in having to be silent. I mean what if the phone goes? What about the list of things I have to do that involve talking? HELP!!!!

Anyway yesterday, when I could talk, I had an appointment for my little one with Simon who is a Paediatrician/Neonatologist I work with with. He also happens to be one of my my favourite bosses who I trust implicitly AND he has a very sweet tooth. I had promised baking to which he had requested 'cupcakes with lashings of icing'. That was what he got.

The first flavour I chose was inspired by the Lemon Curd I had made from the Little and Friday Cookbook over the weekend (there is more to come on this fantastic cookbook). I thought Lemon Cupcakes with Lemon Curd in the middle with a Lemon Buttercream would be delicious. I have to say, without shame, they were (in fact I might have to whip some up for night shift on Friday). I found a couple of recipes but went with good old Martha Stewart. I halved the recipe and still got 16 cupcakes from the mixture. They were light and had a lovely lemon flavour to them. The curd in the centre was fantastic and the Lemon Buttercream just completed the lemon experience. You have to try these cupcakes. 

Triple Lemon Cupcakes (I halved this recipe but will give you the full one)

3 c flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt (I only put in 1/4 tsp as I use salted butter)
230 g butter
2 c sugar
4 large eggs
finely grated zest of 3 lemons (about 3 Tbsp) and 2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla
1 c buttermilk

Preheat the oven to 170C and line muffin tins with cupcake papers.

Cream the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy (don't hurry this stage). Add the eggs one at a time beating for a minute after each. Beat in the zest and vanilla. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt together. Add the flour alternately with the buttermilk and juice in 3 lots.

Spoon into tins and bake 20-25mins until cooked and a skewer comes out clean. Once they are cool take out the centre (I use an apple corer), and put in some lemon curd (either homemade or bought). Put the tops back on that you have cut out (you might need to cut them down a bit) and ice with a nice lemon buttercream (just a light lemon flavour is all you will need).

Baking for Nightshift- Ginger Cupcakes with Vanilla Bean Buttercream and Praline

After having had such a busy and full on last couple of months, I'm really trying to getting my baking and blogging mojo back. Even though I have still been baking, it has been some of the tried and true recipes that I have already blogged about so I didn't want to bore you with repeats. I still have quite a few stockpiled photos to blog BUT half of them I'm struggling to remember where I got the recipe from. This is the story of my baking/cooking life. I'm sure for those of you who have stupid amounts of cookbooks, cooking mags, tagged favourites and numerous blog to follow as I do, that you can relate to this! I thought I would pull my finger out this time and post these delicious cupcakes that I made for night shift on Friday.

After a day away from home (I actually took myself to the movies for the first time in months), I wanted to whip something up for the girls who were working. Our unit has been crazy busy lately with a high acuity so everyone has been frantic and working very very hard on every shift. Baking really does equal love so I really wanted to share some of that. I defaulted to one of my favourite cupcake books 'Celebration Cupcakes' by Tamara Jane. Let me tell you, if you want a cupcake book where the recipes work, then this is the one you want. I found a recipe for Gingerbread Cupcakes but as I didn't have any crystallised ginger (and in fact I can't bear it anyway), I left that out. They were delicious....gingery and light. I made a Vanilla Bean buttercream (using some of that fantastic Heilala vanilla paste) and topped it with some praline. I got the idea for the praline from a recipe for Kumara cupcakes in the Viva a few weeks ago. The praline really added a bit of va-va-voom to them so I'll remember that for a cupcake party trick next time.

Ginger Cupcakes

300g plain flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp mixed spice
150g softened butter
400 g caster sugar
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
160ml (2/3 c) sour cream

Preheat the oven to 170 C and line 24 muffin tins with cupcake papers.

Sift the flour, salt, soda and spices together.

Cream the butter for a couple of minutes then add the caster sugar and beat until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time and beat well after each (this really helps to keep the cupcakes light so give it a minute after each). Beat in the vanilla.

Add the dry ingredients alternately with the sour cream but don't overbeat.

Bake 20-25 mins until cooked, then remove from the tins to cool on a wire rack.

Ice with a buttery buttercream and top with crumbled up praline.

Praline
1/2 c caster sugar
1/2 cup blanched almonds (I use almond slivers)

Heat the sugar over a medium heat. Do not walk away from it and do not stir it. Swirl the pan to get the melted stuff away from the edges so the rest of the sugar can melt. Don't worry if there are lumps because it will all melt. Also don't have the heat too high or it will burn around the edges. Once it is melted and brown, add the nuts swirl them to coat in the caramel and pour immediately on to a baking paper or non stick foil lined tray. Once it is cool, pulse in a food processor to crumb up. 

Baking for Nightshift- Red Velvet Cupcake Swirls

So in my last post I said I had made two things for nightshift on Friday. I think I was feeling a bit bad because I have been so distracted lately with the house things so overcompensated and made two things. As well as that I really enjoyed having some time in the kitchen again. I'm on the last leg  of house stuff now....and quite possibly the worst leg. This time I have to empty all the rooms of pretty much everything so the new carpet can be laid. When I look around the house through post nightshift, no-sleep eyes it all seems very overwhelming as there is only a smallish lounge to put it all in. Luckily they will move the furniture but everything else has to be done by me. No wonder people don't get carpet laid all the time because it is almost (and I say almost) not worth it. 


Anyway I digress once again.... clearly I'm a little preoccupied! These cupcakes were ok. I'm not sure if I overcooked them a little or if I should have done the swirls a little differently. They tasted ok but I missed the tenderness of a good Red Velvet Cupcake and the cream cheese layer could have been more cheesecakey. The recipe was from Marion Keyes 'Saved By Cake' but I'm not sure that I will post the recipe as I don't think I will make them again. If you do want the recipe let me know and I'll edit this post to include it. 


Well I'm off again to relook at all the work I have to do....I'll be back in my more normal capacity in a week or so......

Cupcakes for a Fundraiser

Selection of the cupcakes

Vanilla Latte Cupcakes with Swiss Meringue Buttercream

Chocolate Cupcakes with Marshmallow Filling and Chocolate Buttercream

Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Icing

Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Ganache Buttercream

Last Thursday we had a fundraiser for a friend of ours. We showed the very sweet movie called 'Salmon Fishing in the Yemen' at the lovely boutique Bridgeway theatres, had glasses of wine and sold these cupcakes and some amazing, can't-stop-eating-it fudge made by another (and the main), organiser Jo. We also had a raffles with some fantastic prizes and people were amazingly generous both leading up to the night with giving donations if they couldn't make it to the movie, and at the actual event. The night was a total success. I spent the two days before it making around 90 cupcakes. I must admit by the time I had finished it felt like I was leaking sugar from all of my pores! The last thing I could have imagined was eating any of these cupcakes at all....but the fudge....now that was a different matter!


I made some fondant flowers to decorate them and cut out some fondant hearts. My most favourite decorating thing is edible glitter. It can make the plainest of anything look fantastic as you can see by the very beige-looking Vanilla Latte cupcakes. I also love the silver and gold dusting powders too which I dusted onto some of the flowers. Those little baby cachous are also a firm favourite as I think they look a lot less clumsy than the bigger ones you can buy at the supermarket. 


The flavours of the cupcakes were varied. I made Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Icing. While I do have a recipe for them on my blog, this time I thought I would try a new one and of course it had to be Martha Stewart's recipe. You can find it here if you wan to try them. It was an easy recipe and apparently they tasted lovely. I always think that Red Velvet is a bit of a boring nothing flavour and more of a carrier for the cream cheese icing but I think the appeal of them is the fact that the cupcake itself is light in texture and has only a slight chocolately flavour rather than being too full on. And lets not discount that really, anything with cream cheese icing on it can't be too bad!


The Vanilla Latte Cupcakes with Swiss Meringue Buttercream was a recipe I found here on Annie's Eats. I had to wing it a bit as I have yet to find Espresso posed here in NZ and apparently instant coffee is not the same. I made some nice strong espresso and just added a little less of the brewed coffee so the liquid/dry balance wouldn't be out. I did the same with the frosting using espresso instead of powder. This was the first time I had ever made Swiss meringue buttercream. While it isn't all that hard, it is SO laden with butter it seems like a sin to make and then eat it. Then I realised that it was the perfect chance to give it a go as I wouldn't be tempted to eat it! I have to say it is delicious. It has a light and fluffy texture which is lovely to eat and I can see why people rave over it. However two problems I had were a) I was having a dizzy moment (I'm sure it was all the sugar and chaos around me) and got confused with the Celsius and Fahrenheit numbers on the thermometer so heated the initial egg white/sugar mix too high and b) my closed star tip was playing up and making it look like part it was missing so I just couldn't pipe it. I the end I just put it on with a small spatula, decorated them and sprinkled over gold glitter.


The Chocolate ones were an old favourite of mine also here on my blog. This time I made a Marshmallow fluff/filling to zhoosh them up a little. I had a container of Marshmallow Fluff that a friend of mine had got for me at the American store so beat it up with some butter and a bit of icing sugar until I got the texture I wanted, before piping it into the centre of the cupcakes. Yum yum and yum!


Anyway I hope you give these a go....the Vanilla Latte ones are really lovely and well worth it and if you can't be bothered with making the Swiss meringue icing that goes with it, you could make a simple coffee buttercream instead.