Cupcake Fun . . .

Cupcakes are very easy to make and you can fill hours decorating them in many different ways! This cupcake recipe can be adapted for different occasions such as birthdays or celebrations (see photos below).

Use this simple recipe for the cupcakes and then decorate with these different icings. There is a butter cream icing, or a simple icing or frosting.



Chocolate Simplicity Cupcakes 




Eggtastit Cupcakes



 

CUPCAKE RECIPE:
Makes 20 cupcakes

Ingredients:

200g softened unsalted butter

1 3/4 cups Castor sugar

4 eggs

2 3/4 cups plain flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 cup milk

Method:

• Preheat oven to C170. Line two 12- hole cupcake trays with cupcake cases.
• Cream the butter for 1 -2 minutes, in an electric food mixer. Then add the sugar in three batched, beating for 2 minutes after each addition. After the last addition, cream the mixture until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is light and fluffy. Add the eggs to the butter and sugar mixture one at a time, beating after each addition.
• Add a third of the flour mixture into the creamed mixture and beat on a low speed until well combined. Add half the milk to the mixture and beat until combined. Repeat this process for the rest of the flour and milk. Add the baking powder with the last batch of flour.
• At this point the cupcake mixture can be adapted or changed. (see pictures below)
• Lemon, Lime or Orange flavour:  add 3 teaspoons of lemon, lime or orange juice and the zest of 1 lemon, lime or orange.
• Coffee flavour: substitute 3 tablespoons milk with 3 tablespoons strong coffee. 
• Chocolate flavour:  substitute 3 tablespoons flour with 3 tablespoons cocoa.
• Mocha flavour: substitute 3 tablespoons milk with 3 tablespoons strong coffee and substitute 3 tablespoons flour with 3 tablespoons cocoa.
• Cupcake swirl: Dip a skewer in food dye and swirl this in the cupcake mixture when it is in the cupcake case.




Red Swirl


• Spoon the mixture into the cupcake cases, filling each about three-quarters full. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until the cupcakes are golden brown. Once the cupcakes are cooked immediately take them  out of the trays and place on a wire rack to cool for at least 30 minutes before icing.

SIMPLE ICING

This is the easiest icing to make. Sift some icing sugar into a bowl. Then add small amounts of water mixing after each addition, until the icing makes a thick paste. To check the consistency dollop some icing onto a cake. If the icing spreads all over the cake, then it is too runny so add some more icing sugar. The icing should only spread for a few millimeters, add keep its shape when it is dolloped onto the cake.  



Now that the icing is made, add a couple of drops of food dye to make your desired colour. Finally decorate the cupcakes with the icing and add sprinkles.



Bauble Cupcakes



Bauble Cupcakes







 



Ocean Blue Cupcakes

 BUTTER CREAM ICING

 This icing is good to create professional looking cupcakes.

Ingredients:
100g softened unsalted butter
1/4 cup milk
4 cups icing sugar

Method:

• Cream the butter for 1 - 2 minutes.
• Add the milk and half the sifted icing sugar. (TIP: whilst the icing sugar is being mixed in put a tea towel over the mixer to stop the icing sugar going every where) Beat for 3 minutes or until light and fluffy. Add the remaining icing sugar and beat for a further 3 minutes.
• Add extra icing sugar if the mixture is too wet or add extra milk if the mixture is too dry.
• Decoration:
• For Coffee icing: Add 2 tablespoons instant coffee granules dissolved in 1 teaspoon hot water.
• To colour the icing add 2-3 drops food colouring of your desired colour.
• Decorate with sprinkles, chocolates, marshmallows - anything as long as it tastes good!



Birthday Cupcakes





Frosting

This is a good icing to pipe because it holds it shape very well.

Ingredients:

200g full fat cream cheese

100g softened unsalted butter
600g icing sugar, sieved

Method:

• Put the cream cheese, butter and icing sugar in a bowl of an electric mixture and slowly mix together at a low speed, until light and fluffy.
• To Flavour:
• Cinnamon: add 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
• Strawberry: Add 1 tablespoon strawberry jam and a drop of pink food dye.  
• Orange / Lemon: Add the grated zest of one orange / lemon.  

Mountain swirl Cupcakes