Cup Cake Crazy.............

Hey there!! So how is your Tuesday treating you? We're having fun in the sun (while it lasts!!) and ,of course, I have been playing in the kitchen. With "helpers". Hmmmmm........

                                                                                     

Actually as much as I do love pottering about in the kitchen by myself I do love to see my children show an interest in baking (as opposed to just repeating "Muuuuum I'm hungry" about a zillion times a day. Seriously....a zillion...) and even go so far as to encourage it when my patience allows. So, on that note, I figured being school holidays and all this would be the perfect time to share our recipe for the good old fashioned Cup Cake......

                                                                             

Now I realise I'm not exactly breaking new ground here. I think everyone has their own recipe for cupcakes, well they should do anyway!!?! Our version is very basic, super easy and pretty much fail-safe. Oh....and a little yummo too..........

                                                                                 

Ok....here we go.......

                                                                     Cup Cakes

Ingredients        

4 ozs (115grms) butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar (just to confuse...lately I have been using about 1/3 cup raw sugar....your choice)
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1 3/4 cups self-raising flour, sifted
Splash of vanilla - optional (but yummy!)

Method

1. Pre-heat your oven to 180 degrees

2. Cream (old fashioned word for 'mix with beaters until pale and creamy looking'!) together the butter and sugar

3. Beat in eggs (and vanilla if you are using it)

4. Now fold through the flour and milk. I go with the 'a bit of flour....a bit of milk....' method)

5. The fun part....choose the prettiest cupcake papers you can find (and oh the choice these days!!) and pop them in a muffin tray. This will help the cakes hold their shape. I also like to make some smaller sized one....very handy for smaller kiddos too.

6. Scoop in your cupcake mixture and bang in the oven for 12-15 minutes or until they look a bit goldeny and cooked

7. Allow to cool (or do as we often do and eat warm from the oven as pudding with custard, cream, icecream etc....mmmmmm)

8. Ice as you please

                                                                               

This is where I believe the humble cupcake really comes into it's own. Depending on how you choose to ice or decorate the cakes, or whatever type of topping you choose to use, it can totally change up what you actually end up eating.!! If that makes sense.....

                                                                                 

For this batch we chose to use just an ordinary made-with-cocoa-powder chocolate icing (mental note to self....must do an icing post soon?!) and sprinkle on top with coconut. And then call them 'lamington cakes'.....easy yes?!?

                                                                                     

But there are literally heaps of different ways to decorate these little suckers. I get so excited by it all I've decided I will be sharing with you a few other very very simple ways to shake up your cupcakes over the next few weeks or so. We can never have too many cupcakes surely.... can we??????

                                                                                 

I hope you give these a try.....be sure to let me know if you do.....love hearing of other people's baking adventures!!!!

Enjoy the rest of your day.............



                                                    Janelle  xx