Lemon drizzle cupcakes

Everyone who likes a bit of tangy sweetness will love these!

They are the perfect, Spring cupcake, particularly if you use cute cupcake cases (mine are from poundland)

 They will stay moist for a good few days as well, just in case you don't eat them all at once...

I whipped them up for Mother's Day and my mum ate 3 in one go - just to prove how delicious they are.

Makes 10-12 cupcakes
- 125g butter
- 125g caster sugar
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 125g self raising flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- dash of milk
- dash of vanilla essence
- finely grated zest of 1 lemon

For the lemon drizzle icing
- 200g icing sugar
- juice of 2 lemons
- finely grated zest of 1 lemon, for decoration

1. Line a cupcake tray with cases and pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees.
2. In a mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth, beat in the eggs then fold in the flour and baking powder. Mix until smooth with a dash of milk, vanilla essence and lemon zest.
3. Spoon into cupcakes cases then bake in the oven for around 20 minutes, or until golden brown. Set aside to cool.

4. To make the lemon drizzle icing, simply mix together the icing sugar and lemon juice and stir until smooth and fairly runny. Spoon/drizzle on top of the cupcakes - as much as you prefer, then finish with some lemon zest!

Enjoy :)

Creme Egg Brownies

 You know you want me

I even have white chocolate chips in

I am the ultimate chocolatey, gooey brownie

There is no going back this Easter

Makes 12 sensational brownies

- 185g dark chocolate

- 185g slightly salted butter
- 85g plain flour
- 40g cocoa powder
- 3 eggs
- 50g golden caster sugar
- 225g caster sugar
- 75g white chocolate chips- 6 Cadbury creme eggs

(Make sure you get the best ingredients like Belgian cooking chocolate, the cheap stuff won't taste the same!)

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees and grease and line a deep, rectangular baking tin.

2. Melt the chocolate and butter in a saucepan over a low heat, stirring continuously. Leave to cool to room temperature (and try not to eat it all).

3. In a small bowl, sift together the flour and cocoa powder.

4. Take a large bowl, and whisk the eggs with the sugar until foamy and doubled in size - this may take a while and test the arm muscles!

5. Fold the cooled chocolate and butter mixture into the egg mix until combined.

6. Next, add the flour and cocoa powder and gently fold until smooth. Add around 50g of the white chocolate chips and stir.

7. Pour the brownie mixture into the baking tray, top with half of the remaining chocolate chips and bake in the oven for around 15 minutes.

8. Meanwhile, chop the creme eggs in half.

9. Remove the tray from the oven and gently place the 12 creme egg halves in rows of 4. Sprinkle with the remaining white chocolate chips, and bake in the oven for another 10 minutes.

10. Remove from the oven and leave to cool completely in the tray - the brownie will be very gooey in the middle, don't worry, it will be cooked and it will set more as it cools.

11. When cooled, cut into 12 brownies and oooo and aaahhhh over one, eat, then repeat.

Enjoy :)

For another super quick, easy and delicious Easter treat, try these no bake chocolate biscuit squares!

Valentine's chocolate & raspberry cupcakes

Double chocolate chip cupcakes with a raspberry jam centre, chocolate frosting and a raspberry topping

Perfect for Valentine's day - for your boyfriend, girlfriend, friends, family, or just for yourself!

They taste divine too

Makes 18 deep cupcakes
- 225g margarine
- 225g caster sugar
- 4 eggs, beaten
- 225g self raising flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- dash of milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- cocoa powder
- 100g milk chocolate chips
- raspberry jam

For the frosting and topping
- 200g butter, softened
- 275g icing sugar, sifted
- dash of warm milk
- 150g dark cooking chocolate, melted
- fresh raspberries
- freeze dried raspberry pieces (or red sprinkles or hearts)
- edible glitter (optional)

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees and line a cupcake tin with cases. (Use special ones for valentine's day!)

2. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and the sugar until well combined. Whisk in the beaten egg, then fold in the flour and baking powder.

3. Stir in the milk, vanilla essence, enough cocoa powder to change the mixture to a deep brown colour, and the chocolate chips. Mix until well combined and then spoon into the cupcake cases (about 2/3 full).

4. Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes or until a knife comes out clean from the middle.

5. Once cooled, cut the top centre out of each cupcake and spoon in a teaspoon of raspberry jam into each.

6. Place the tops back on (trying not to eat them) and set aside.

7. To make the chocolate buttercream frosting, beat together the butter, icing sugar and milk until smooth (be patient). Then stir in the melted chocolate.

8. Spoon the frosting into a large piping bag with a star nozel and get piping! (you can also just spoon and spread onto the cakes if you prefer)

9. Place a raspberry on the top of each cupcake and sprinkle with the freeze dried raspberry pieces, or whatever decoration you are using, and finish with a dusting of edible glitter.

They will look something like this when you finally get to eat them!

Enjoy :)

Halloween cupcakes

Sorry this post is so late - I'm going to try and post more frequently now although I am quite busy but I will do my best!

I thought I would share with you my Halloween cupcakes anyway, I made chocolate chip cupcakes with chocolate buttercream and they went down a treat. I have posted this same cupcake recipe time and time again so I will link it below for you to follow if these take your fancy and you want to indulge in some delicious, home-made chocolate cupcakes! The only difference is obviously the decorations on top (from Lidl) and that I put milk chocolate chips in the sponge. 

http://eatrainbowlove.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/chocolate-and-vanilla-jam-cupcakes.html

To make the chocolate buttercream just follow the same recipe above but add 100g dark cooking chocolate (I used Sainsbury's Belgium dark cooking chocolate) for a rich, chocolatey flavour. Never stint on ingredients when making buttercream - always use good chocolate and butter, for me, that's always Lurpak!

I just piped on the buttercream using a disposable piping bag and a large star piping nozel. I started to run out of icing though so I just spread the rest on but it still looked good!

Oh and the gold cupcake cases are from Sansbury's.

Enjoy :)

Blueberry muffins

These sweet, fruity muffins are so light and full of flavour - perfect for summer. They are delicious fresh out of the oven, but still have a crisp top and juicy, moist inside when cooled. They are super easy to whip up so give them a try, they will not disappoint. 

Makes 12 muffins

- 110g butter

- 250g caster sugar

- 2 eggs, beaten

- 250g plain flour

- 2 tsp baking powder

- 125ml milk

- 225g fresh blueberries

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees, and line a muffin tin with cases.

2. Cream together the butter and sugar until smooth.

3. Whisk in the eggs, then add the flour and baking powder, mixing well.

4. Stir in the milk until the mixture is smooth. Fold in 3/4 of the blueberries.

5. Spoon the mixture into the muffin cases about 2/3 full.

6. Press the remaining blueberries evenly into the mixture in each muffin case.

7. Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes, or until risen and golden brown. Cool on a wired rack.

 Enjoy :)

Strawberry cupcakes

In keeping with the strawberry season of Wimbledon, I thought I'd make some strawberry treats. With fresh strawberries in the sponge and strawberry jam in the buttercream, these cupcakes are incredibly light but creamy and delicious. They are exactly what you would expect - sweet and pretty damn tasty.

For the sponges (makes 12)

- 125 margarine

- 125g caster sugar

- 2 eggs, beaten

- 125g self raising flour

- 1/4 tsp baking powder

- 1 tbsp semi skimmed milk

- 1/2 tsp vanilla essence

- handful of fresh strawberries, finely chopped

For the buttercream

- 125g butter (has to be lurpak!)

- 300g icing sugar, sifted

- dash of warm milk

- 2 tbsp raspberry jam

- 1/4 tsp vanilla essence

- pink food colouring

- strawberries, to garnish

- edible glitter

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees and line a cupcake tin with cases.

2. In a mixing bowl, cream the margarine and sugar together until light and fluffy.

3. Beat in the eggs and fold in the flour and baking powder, mixing until smooth.

4. Stir in the milk and vanilla essence, and add the chopped strawberries, mixing until well combined.

5. Spoon into the cupcake cases (about 3/4 full) then bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes. Cool on a wired rack.

6. Meanwhile, to make the buttercream, soften the butter then cream with the icing sugar, adding a dash of warm milk in to help mix. 

7. When the buttercream is smooth, stir in the jam and vanilla essence until well combined, then add a small amount of pink food colouring to enhance the colour.

8. Using a piping bag with a large star nozzle, generously pipe the buttercream onto each cupcake.

9. Top with a quartered strawberry (or however you prefer) and a sprinkle of glitter!

Enjoy :)

Carrot cake cupcakes

I hadn’t tried carrot cake until the other week and I fell in love with it. I don’t really like nuts or citrus which are all things I thought the cake would taste of but it didn't at all. I decided to make my own mini versions and they worked really well – they are really moist and warming from the cinnamon, and have great texture from the occasional crunch of walnut and soft sultanas. The frosting is to die for and compliments the flavours in the sponge so well. The carrots on top are white chocolate cake decorations from Sainsbury’s. You could also decorate them with walnuts or chocolate mini eggs for Easter time. If you like that citrus twang, then feel free to add some orange zest into the cake mix or the frosting! This recipe will be appearing in my uni newspaper - Redbrick, yay so if you're at the university of Birmingham make sure you pick it up!

*Just a quick apology for the infrequency of posts - I'm busy at uni and my laptops been playing up. I've got lots of posts I want to do though so keep checking back! I really appreciate everyone who looks at my blog*

Makes about 12 cupcakes

275g caster sugar

50g margarine

150ml sunflower or olive oil

4 medium eggs

4 carrots, grated

50g walnuts, finely chopped

50g sultanas, finely chopped

225g self-raising flour

2 tsp baking powder

2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tbsp cocoa powder

For the cream cheese frosting:

125g butter, softened

125g cream cheese

275g icing sugar

1.       Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees / gas mark 4. Line a muffin tray with 12 muffin cases.

2.       Mix together the sugar, margarine and oil in a large mixing bowl. Beat in the eggs then stir in the grated carrot, walnuts, and sultanas.

3.        Sieve the flour and baking powder, cinnamon and cocoa powder into the carrot mixture and stir well until combined.

4.       Spoon this mixture into the muffin cases (about 2/3 full) and bake for around 25 minutes. Leave to cool on a wired rack.

5.       To make the frosting, whisk together the butter and cream cheese until smooth.

6.       Add the icing sugar, stirring until combined and smooth. Spoon on to the cupcakes and smooth over with a knife. Decorate as you wish!

Mint chocolate cupcakes

I made these yesterday for my sister's birthday celebrations tonight, and they were so delicious! Chocolate and mint is always the perfect match, and with a mint aero bubble on top, what could be better? These look really cute and taste surprisingly light and refreshing. I used a large star piping nozzle that I recently brought off Amazon and you can really tell the difference - I think these look a lot more professional than previous cupcakes I have made - it's definitely worth the money. These would also look good decorated with after eight mints.

For the chocolate sponges (makes about 24)

- 225 margarine/butter (or both)

- 225g caster sugar

- 4 eggs, beaten

- 225g self raising flour

- 1/2 tsp baking powder

- 2 tbsp semi skimmed milk

- 1 tsp vanilla essence

- 4 tbsp cocoa powder

For the peppermint buttercream

- 150g unsalted butter

- 225g icing sugar

- 2 tbsp hot milk

- 4 tsp peppermint extract (according to taste)

- few drops of green food colouring

- mint aero bubbles, to decorate

1. Pre-heat the oven to gas mark 4 / 180 degrees. Line a few cupcake trays with cupcake cases.

2. Beat together the marg/butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in the eggs, adding flour occasionally if curdling occurs.

3. Sift the remaining flour, baking powder and cocoa powder into the bowl, then gradually whisk in the milk and vanilla essence.

4. Spoon into the cupcakes cases and bake in the oven for around 20 minutes. Leave to cool on a cooling tray.

5. For the butter cream, cream together the butter, sugar and milk until smooth. Add the peppermint extract and food colouring and stir thoroughly. Taste and if necessary add more of the peppermint.

6. Using a disposable piping bag and a large star nozzle, pipe the buttercream on top of each cupcakes - be generous! Place a mint aero bubble on top and voila!

I ran out of buttercream and so decorated the remaining 3 cupcakes like this, ha ha ha it makes me laugh:

Enjoy :)