Everyone knows that January is a crappy month to start a diet. Sure, it’s all kale smoothies on New Year’s Day but with leftover Christmas treats winking at you from the back of the cupboard it’s all too easy to fall off the bandwagon mid-month and spend until February chastising yourself for it. Here typeth the voice of experience!
Hi there! I’ve been playing with my camera this week and had a hankering for a spot of baking so made a wee video of my favourite fail safe bakes. You literally cannot go wrong with these wee buns – even if you overfill the cases or cook them for a little too long (as I did!)
The secret to keeping them deliciously moist is to glaze them with a drop of warm honey when they are just out of the oven. The honey seals in the moisture so that they don’t turn into frisbees on day two. Hurrah!
Here are the ingredients you need to make 12 cupcakes:
115g / 4oz soft tub margarine
115g / 4oz light soft brown sugar
2 eggs
100g / 3 1/2oz self-raising flour, sifted
1/2tsp baking powder
2tbsp cocoa powder, sifted
4 canned pear halves, drained and sliced
2tbsp runny honey, warmed
(*I also add 1tsp vanilla extract. I think it enhances the flavour – let me know if you agree!)
Method
* Preheat your oven to 190°C / 375°F / Gas Mark 5. Put your bun cases in your bun tray.
* Put your margarine, sugar, eggs, flour, baking powder, cocoa powder (and vanilla extract) into a large bowl and beat together with an electric whisk until just smooth, (ie. a minute or two.)
* Spoon the mixture into your bun cases and smooth the tops. Try not to overfill – ideally you want to be able to see the pear sitting on top after baking but it’s not a disaster if they slide down into the mixture.
* Arrange two pear slices on top of each cupcake.
* Bake in your preheated oven until cooked, (around 20 minutes), before transferring to a wire rack.
* I put a bread board under the rack as the next stage can get a bit dribbly!
If you have a pastry brush use it to glaze each bun with a little of your warmed honey. (I warmed mine in the microwave in 10 second bursts – careful not to boil it by leaving it in too long). If you don’t have a pastry brush a teaspoon will do rightly. Allow to cool.
* Pop the kettle on and make a nice cuppa.
* Enjoy the fruits of your labour. Quality control is very important in baking!
Don’t forget you can win some delicious Titanic Tea and a whole host of other prizes by following my blog via WordPress or Bloglovin’ – both buttons are at the top, right hand side of this post. The giveaway closes this Sunday 25th January and the winner will be picked at random and announced here on the blog so make sure you check back to see if you’re a winner!
What are your favourite bakes? Why not share them in the comments below – the easier the better!
Have a great start to your week!
L xx
All this running around ahead of Christmas works up quite an appetite. Pair that will the natural gluttony of the season and it can be handy to just reach for something sweet to give me a quick boost. I never thought I’d say this but I think I may have peaked too soon on the chocolate front and am starting to flag! I came across a recipe for cheddar and cranberry cupcakes I thought I’d give it a go. I’m glad I did!
Cranberries are everywhere at the moment and if you are a regular baker you’ll probably have the rest of the ingredients already in your larder or fridge. My first attempt came out pretty well so I’m hoping they’ll taste even better the more I make them. If you can’t find fresh cranberries you can use frozen ones – no need to thaw them first – although you’ll probably come across these easier once the season ends. The festive jewels add a tartness to this normally sweet treat and the cheese comes through more and more with each bite. Really tasty for a weekend breakfast or when you’re just craving something savoury.
Here’s how to make them. You’ll need:
2 cups / 300g plain flour
2/3 cup / 155g firmly packed soft brown sugar – I used light brown
1/2 cup / 60g finally grated cheddar (Tip: Make sure your cheese is really cold. This will make it easier to grate. If you’ve got room, stick it in the freezer for about 15-20 mins before you want to use it. I didn’t do this and it was a real pain in the bum!)
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp all spice
pinch of ground cayenne pepper – I totally forgot this and it still tasted lovely so if you’re not a spice fan just leave this out
1 1/4 cup / 310ml buttermilk or natural yogurt
1/4 cup / 60g butter, melted
1 egg, separated
1 cup / 155g washed fresh or unthawed frozen cranberries
How to:
* Preheat your oven to 200°C / Gas Mark 6 / 400°F. Lightly grease a standard 12-hole bun tin or line with paper cases. ( NB: I found the mixture actually stretched to make 22 buns)
* In a large bowl combine your dry ingredients – flour, sugar, cheese, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, salt and spices. Stir until well blended and make a well in the middle.
* In a small bowl whisk together the buttermilk, yogurt and egg yolk. In another small bowl beat the egg white until soft peaks form.
* Pour the buttermilk mixture into the well and, using a fork, stir just until the dry ingredients are moistened. Don’t overmix it – you ought to have a lumpy mixture. Then fold in the egg white and cranberries. You are best using a spoon or plastic spatula for this rather than the fork.
* Spoon the batter into the holes or paper cases until each one is about 2/3 full, allowing the buns space to rise. Bake for around 20mins or until a skewer comes out clean. Another way to test if they are ready is by gently pressing your finger in on the middle of the bun. Your bun should bounce back. If it sinks they need to go back in the oven.
* Transfer your buns to a wire rack and allow them to cool. Enjoy warm or cold.
If you’ve cranberries left over why not make yourself a festive liqueur? Admittedly you can’t drink it straight away but if you’re planning to give up alcohol for January you can look forward to this tipple in February. All you need is 500g cranberries, 1 bottle of vodka, 2 cinnamon sticks, 500g sugar and this recipe.
Cheers!xx
I don’t know about you but I have never been one to need an excuse to eat cake! This week – 16 – 22 September 2013 – is National Cupcake Week and I decided to see if I could come up with a cupcake with a twist to mark the occasion.
I found a recipe in the local paper and added a few things to it – I think it turned out quite well, maybe you will enjoy it too.
Tales of adventure 