October 29, 2014

Biscuiteers Spiced Pumpkin Cupcakes

With Halloween approaching, tempt everyone with these festive pumpkin spice cupcakes. They are undoubtedly a crowd pleaser with their fun designs. They not only look good though they taste delicious, full of spice and warmth.

My exciting news of the week was Biscuiteers loved my blog so much they provided me with the recipe. I tested immediately as I wanted to share it with you all. If my family are anything to go by, these cupcakes are a winner, they disappeared overnight. Why not try them now to share at your Halloween party?

If you’re too busy to make your own, get Biscuiteers Halloween Cupcakes delivered to your door, ahead of the big day! http://www.biscuiteers.com/shop/find-the-perfect-pressie/halloween/halloween-cupcakes

Ingredients:

175g light muscovado sugar

3 large eggs

175ml sunflower oil

1 tsp vanilla extract

100g sultanas

200g coarse grated pumpkin flesh

2 tsp ground cinnamon

200g self-raising flour

zest of 1 orange, grated

50g jelly snakes (optional)

1 tsp baking soda

Heat your oven to 180C/160C(fan)/Gas Mark 4 and line a 12 hole muffin tray with paper cases.

Pour into a large boil the oil along with the sugar, eggs and vanilla.

Beat this mixture together and then add the grated pumpkin, sultanas and orange zest.

Add in the cinnamon, flour and baking soda and stir.

Spoon half of your mixture into 6 of the cases and then add the jelly worms into the remaining cases with the rest of the mixture (these will be the “tricks”, to go with the “treats”!)

Put the tray in the oven and bake for 25 minutes until the cupcakes are springy to the touch.

Cool on a wire rack.

For the icing:

250g icing sugar

125g butter

1kg white regal ice fondant

2 tsp vanilla bean paste

Paste colours: Red, Green, Black, Orange and Purple.

Mix the butter and the icing sugar together until the mixture is light and fluffy then add in the vanilla bean paste and mix until the beans are evenly distributed.

Mix up some line icing (see here for help with this: http://www.biscuiteers.com/blog/blog/recipes/royal-icing-recipe-flood-and-line-techniques) and colour with black, white and red.

Use the colour paste to colour fist sized balls of the regal ice fondant, making sure there is no marbling once the fondant is rolled out.

Spoon your vanilla buttercream on top of the cupcakes and then cover with the different colours of ice fondant.

To decorate the eye ball cupcakes:

Roll the white fondant out to a thickness of 5mm (you can use cornflour on your work top to prevent the fondant sticking). Cut out circles that measure 7cm in diameter.

Roll out the lime green fondant to a thickness of 5mm, then cut out circles that measure 3cm in diameter.

Put a tablespoon sized heap of the vanilla buttercream on top of the cupcake. Then cover with the white fondant smooth down any lumps. The aim is to form a smooth dome.

Add the lime green disk in the middle of the cupcake, then either using black line icing or black fondant, add a black pupil.

Using the red line icing, pipe thin veins coming from the central circle, to create the bloodshot eyeball effect.

To decorate the spiderweb cupcakes:

Roll the orange fondant to a thickness of 5mm and cut out circles that measure 7cm in diameter.

Put a tablespoon sized heap of the vanilla buttercream on top of the cupcake. Then cover with the white fondant smooth down any lumps. The aim is to form a smooth dome.

Using the black line icing within an piping bag, pipe the black icing onto the orange fondant into a spider’s web design.

To decorate the purple BOO! cupcakes:

Roll out the purple fondant to a thickness of 5mm, then cut out circles that measure 3cm in diameter.

Put a tablespoon sized heap of the vanilla buttercream on top of the cupcake. Then cover with the white fondant smooth down any lumps. The aim is to form a smooth dome.

Using white line icing pipe the words ‘BOO!’ or ‘Happy Halloween’. Allow to dry.

You can get really creative with eyeballs, spider webs, witches, ghosts, black cats and much more besides. For some inspiration take a look at our designs below. Or if you’ve not got the time to get baking yourself, why not get a delivery of Halloween Cupcakes from the Biscuiteers!

posted by 2 Comments
Filed Under: Cupcakes Tagged: , , , , , , , ,
February 13, 2014

Valentines Vanilla Cupcakes

Why spend money on chocolates when you can treat your valentine to homemade cupcakes? Bake up some sweets for your valentine this Valentine’s Day with these tasty love-themed cupcake decorating ideas.

The best part about these cupcakes, though, is the decoration. There is no limit when it comes to decorating. With so many ways to make them and so many flavors and colors to use, you can make any boring vanilla cupcake something extra special.

Ingredients for the vanilla cupcakes:

110g unsalted butter (at room temperature)

225g caster sugar

2 large eggs

150g self-raising flour, sifted

125g plain flour, sifted

120ml semi-skimmed milk (at room temperature)

1 teaspoon of good quality vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 180°C and line a 12-hole muffin tray with the appropriate size cupcake cases.

In a mixing bowl cream the butter and sugar until the mixture is pale and smooth, this should take about 3-5 minutes using a freestanding electric mixer with a paddle attachment. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing for a few minuets after each addition.

Combine the two flours in a separate bowl. Put the milk and vanilla extract in a jug.

Add one third of the combined flour to the creamed mixture and beat well, then pour in one third of the milk and vanilla extract and beat again. Repeat these steps until all the flour and milk have been added.

Carefully spoon the mixture into the cupcake cases, filling them about two thirds full to allow the mixture to rise when cooking. Bake in the oven for about 20 minuets (regular size case) or 15 minutes (mini size cases).

Remove from the oven and carefully place them onto a wire rack to cool.

To decorate:

Ingredients

Icing sugar

Red, Pink and White royal icing

Roll out the white royal icing on an icing sugar dusted surface to 1/8 inch thick. Cut out with a round cookie cutter and apply to the cupcakes. Alternate the colours if you wish.

Roll out the red and pink royal icing to 1/8 inch thick. Using small heart shaped cutters or a sharp knife, cut out a few heart shapes. If you have small letter shape cutters, you can cut out the words ‘I Love You’ or ‘Be Mine’ and using a little icing sugar mixed with water stick them onto the circular icing. Alternatively you could just sprinkle some pink edible heart decorations on top of the white icing.

 

posted by Leave a Comment
Filed Under: Cupcakes Tagged: , , , , ,
October 30, 2013

Spooky Halloween Cupcakes

This delicious cupcake recipe is easy to whip up and makes a spooky treat for a Halloween party. Forget pretty and dainty, have fun making some that will bite back, look spooky and scary, but still taste divine and delicious.

Ingredients for chocolate cupcakes:

100g self-raising flour

20g cocoa powder

140g caster sugar

a pinch of salt

40g unsalted butter, at room temperature

120ml whole milk

1 egg

¼tsp vanilla extract

Method:

Preheat the oven to 170°C.

Put the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, salt and butter in a freestanding electric mixer with a paddle attachment and beat on slow speed until you get a sandy consistency and everything is combined.

Whisk the milk, egg and vanilla extract together in a jug, then slowly pour about half into the flour mixture, beat to combine and turn the mixer up to high speed to get rid of any lumps.

Turn the mixer down to a slower speed and slowly pour in the remaining milk mixture (scrape any unmixed ingredients from the side of the bowl with a rubber spatula). Continue mixing for a couple more minutes until the mixture is smooth. Do not overmix.

Spoon the mixture into the paper cases until two-thirds full and bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the sponge bounces back when touched. A skewer inserted in the centre should come out clean. Leave the cupcakes to cool slightly in the tray before turning out onto a wire cooling rack to cool completely.

Ingredients for Frosting

115g unsalted butter, at room temperature

2 tbsp milk

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

225g icing sugar

Double piping bag

Method:

Put the butter, half the milk and the vanilla extract in a large mixing bowl and beat until smooth and blended.

Sift over the icing sugar and, with the mixer on a low speed, continue mixing until the icing is smooth and has a spreading consistency. If it is too stiff, beat in a little extra milk.

Instructions for spiderweb cupcakes:

Take a large spoonful of frosting and tint with black food colouring. Tint the remaining frosting with orange food colouring,

Spread the orange frosting over the tops of the cupcakes. Then using a piping bag with a small circular nozzle, filled with the black frosting, pipe 4 concentric circles. Pull a toothpick through the circles to make the spiderweb design. Add a spider for decoration.

Instructions for devils eye cupcakes:

Make up another batch of vanilla frosting. Colour half the frosting green and the other half purple. Using a double piping bag fill half the bag with the purple frosting and the other half with the green frosting. Slowly and steadily pipe a swirl of frosting on top of each cupcake. Then decorate with an eyeball sweetie.

 

There are many other ways to decorate and present your halloween cupcakes. Many supermarkets and cake shops will stock plenty of different and creative cases, decorations and novelties. I found these rather effective cupcake cases. I simply placed chocolate cupcakes iced with chocolate frosting and sprinkled with cake crumbs to give a furry appearance.

 

posted by 2 Comments
Filed Under: Cupcakes Tagged: , , , , , , ,
September 24, 2013

Vanilla Cupcakes with Marshmallow Icing

There’s just nothing like an amazing vanilla cupcake; moist, fluffy, light and oozing with vanilla flavour! These vanilla cupcakes with marshmallow icing are an alternative to buttercream icing. The light, fluffy marshmallow topping makes a nice change and its a perfect consistency for piping as it holds its shape indefinitely. And unlike buttercream it won’t wilt or melt in heat. They are wonderfully soft and glossy, so light they melt in your mouth.

Ingredients for the vanilla cupcakes:

110g unsalted butter (at room temperature)

225g caster sugar

2 large eggs

150g self-raising flour, sifted

125g plain flour, sifted

120ml semi-skimmed milk (at room temperature)

1 teaspoon of good quality vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 180°C and line a 12-hole cupcake tray with the appropriate size cupcake cases. In a mixing bowl cream the butter and sugar until the mixture is pale and smooth, this should take about 3-5 minutes using an electric hand mixer or a magi-mix. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing for a few minuets after each addition.

Combine the two flours in a separate bowl. Put the milk and vanilla extract in a jug. Add one third of the combined flour to the creamed mixture and beat well, then pour in one third of the milk and vanilla extract and beat again. Repeat these steps until all the flour and milk have been added.

Carefully spoon the mixture into the cupcake cases, filling them about two thirds full to allow the mixture to rise when cooking. Bake in the oven for about 20 minuets (regular size case) or 15 minutes (mini size cases).

Remove from the oven and carefully place them onto a wire rack to cool.

Ingredients for the Marshmallow Icing:

120g granulated sugar

80g golden syrup

1 ½ tbsp water

2 large egg whites

½ good quality vanilla extract (optional)

Food colouring (optional)

Place the sugar, golden syrup and water into a sauce pan or a shallow frying pan and cook on a high heat until the mixture reaches the soft-ball stage. This is when the bubbles in the mixture look as though they are starting to stick together. This can take about 2 minutes. To check, take a teaspoon and drop and small amount of the mixture into a cup full of water. If the mixture forms into a ball at the bottom of the glass your mixture is at the soft ball stage. Remove from the heat and put to one side.

In the bowl of a free standing mixer or a food processor, whisk the egg whites until soft peaks start to form.

While the machine is set to a low speed slowly pour the hot sugar mixture into the bowl with the egg whites. Continue to whisk on a low speed until all the sugar mixture is in the bowl. Now increase the speed to a high setting and continue to whisk until the mixture becomes thick and glossy. Add the vanilla extract and food colouring, if using, towards the end of the mixing process.

The icing is easiest to work with while it is still a little warm so try to use straight away. I iced my cupcakes using a piping bag fitted with a large round nozzle. Beginning in the centre, swirl the nozzle and release as you pull up to form a peak and soft top. I then decorated using some simple round coloured sprinkles.

 

posted by 1 Comment
Filed Under: Cupcakes Tagged: , , ,
Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox

Join other followers: