Yesterday was Valentine's Day, so I made some love-themed cupcakes for the family to enjoy. They went down very well and even though I say so myself were pretty damn yummy!!
Best of all though, they were really easy to make. Although they were very different cupackes, one batch of Pink Vanilla Cupcakes and one of Fruit Topped Chocolate & Chantilly Cream Cupcakes, they started their journey to cakedom in one bowl of mix that was split into two and then had the different flavours added. It makes bulk cooking so much quicker and easier, and they can go in the oven at the same time.
Although they were for Valentine's Day, they could be easily adapted to suit any occasion.
The basic mix was an all in one whisked method recipe that makes 24 large cupcakes.
8 oz baking liquid (Stork or Flora)
8 oz self-raising flour
8 oz golden caster sugar
4 free-range eggs
Then, divide the mixture in two.
Pink Vanilla Cupcakes
Add a drop of pink food colouring gel and a teaspoon of vanilla extract to half of the mix.
Cook at GM 5 for 10-12 minutes until springy to touch.
Cool.
Pipe on swirls of pink buttercream.
(6 oz icing sugar, 3 oz softened butter, teaspoon vanilla extract and a drop of pink food colouring gel.)
Top with a Haribo love heart sweet and a heart shaped cake topper to finish.
Fruit Topped Chocolate & Chantilly Cream Cupcakes
Add one tablespoon of sieved cocoa powder and 3 tablespoons of milk to the other half of the mix.
Cook at GN5 for 10-12 minutes until springy to touch.
Cool.
Top with Chantilly Cream (whisk 8 fl oz of double cream until almost stiff, then whisk in 1 tblspn icing sugar)
Decorate with quartered strawberries and blueberries and finish with a cake topper.
