Finally, 2014 has arrived and what better time to bake treats for family and friends. Below is cupcake recipe that can be baked in large quantities, take a maximum of an hour to prepare and is oh-so-simple.

 

Here is one fun cupcake recipe:

 

Ingredients:

 

• 2 cups of flour

• 1 egg

• 3 tablespoons of butter

• 1 tablespoon of baking powder

• 1 tablespoon of vanilla essence

• 2 tablespoons of coconut flavouring

 

For the icing:

 

• 2 1/2 tablespoons of butter

• 1 cup of  icing sugar

• 1 teaspoon of vanilla essence

• 1 teaspoon  of coconut flavouring

 

How to bake the cupcakes:

 

1. Preheat the oven to 180◦C.

2. Mix all the dry ingredients together.

3. Mix the rest of the ingredients in a separate bowl, then add it to the dry mixture bit by bit whilst whisking.

4. Scoop the mixture into cupcake holders of different sizes, filling ¾ of each.

5. Place them in the oven for about 20-25mins.

6. Take a toothpick and prick the centre of a cupcake, if it comes out clean then the cupcakes are ready. The cupcakes should bounce back up when pressed down.

7. When the cupcakes are ready, leave them out to cool for about 10-15mins so that you can do some decorating.

 

How to make the icing:

 

1. Mix all the ingredients together till the mixture turns light and fluffy.

2. For fun, separate the icing into different bowls and add different food colourants to each.

 

How to do some decorating:

 

For a classic cupcake:

• Spread the coconut icing all over the cupcake or use a piping bag to make some swirls.

• Add the sweetened coconut on top of the cupcake.

 

 

For fun and crazy cupcakes:

 

• Go wild!

• Spread the coloured coconut icing on the cupcakes.

• Use the coloured icing to make funky designs on the cupcakes, be creative!

• Decorate them with sprinkles, chocolate chips, sweetened coconut, or basically anything you find in your kitchen that would taste great on a cupcake.

 

AND THAT’S IT, ALL DONE! :)

 

 

 

LITTLE CAKES OF LOVE

 

 

 

 

The PTA invited me to be involved in their Valentine's Day PTA Bake Sale on Friday 14 February and I thought it would be nice to write up my recipes and share my pictures with our readers.

 

You can read more about their Bake Sale and see more pictures at the PTA Facebook Page - Valentines Day Cake Sale:

 

Ingredients:

 

• 115g glace cherries

• 115g unsalted butter

• 115g caster sugar

• 2 eggs

• 85g self-rising flour

• 1 tablespoon of coconut flavouring

• 55g grated coconut

• 1 ½ tablespoons of baking powder

• Food colouring of your choice

 

Icing:

 

• 175g unsalted butter

• 350g icing sugar

• 4 tablespoons of milk

• 12 glace cherries

• Food colouring of your choice

 

Instructions:

 

1. Preheat the oven.

2. Mix the flour, coconut, eggs, sugar and butter in a bowl till it becomes light and creamy.

3. Cut the cherries into four and add them into the mixture.

4. Add food colouring if you wish.

5. Spoon the mixture into the holders, filling them ¾ of the way only.

6. Bake for about 15-20mins.When they are ready, the cupcakes should spring back when lightly pressed.

7. Allow the cakes to cool down before icing them.

 

For the icing:

 

1. Beat the butter and icing sugar till it becomes light and fluffy.

2. Add the tablespoons of milk, one at a time, whilst stirring the mixture.

3. Add food colouring to the icing if you wish.

4. Spread or pipe the icing onto the cupcakes.Decorate with cherries and/or coconut flakes. AND THERE YOU GO, YOU HAVE BAKED WITH LOVE.

 

BAKING TIP:

 

If you are using silicon holders, then leave them to soak in warm, soapy water to get rid of the grease.Put flour to the base of the cupcake tin after buttering it, so that they don’t stick and are easy to remove.