♬'The Album' by Punjabi MC
Hello hello I'm back this week with a peculiar and very random post about cake and bhangra. Is there a positive correlation between the two? Could you really do a few bhangra moves while holding cupcakes? Apart from gaining a stitch and a stained outfit, I think it's an awesome idea. For those who don't know what bhangra is please click here.
I actually stress out at weddings when it's time to get on the dance floor and try to look professional when busting out the moves and trust me I'm not an expert, doesn't matter if I am an Indian girl! I tend to grab a child and pretend to dance, then wait for the aunties to say 'aaaw look at her and (kids name) dancing, she is so good with children'. Damn right, please don't fix me up with your friends son.
Come on let's face facts, apart from the bride and groom having the best day of their lives, and family catch ups, most of the Indian weddings I have been to tend to be similar to speed dating, but with the parents doing the talking. I won't go into the questions my mum would ask on my behalf, it could turn into a sketch from 'Goodness Gracious Me'. I'm all about the food, and that's where you will always find me.
Meanwhile in a beaten down kitchen in east London I decided to bake a beautiful batch of chai spiked cakes. If you don't have chai masala to hand, rip open a chai tea bag and crush spices using pestle and mortar, I know quite clever - one teabag should do the trick for this recipe. Another highlight of this cake is the frosting, a mango and cream cheese combo that is like licking heaven. Can I type that? I just did. Mango pulp with puri is a favourite sweet treat of mine at Indian functions. Actually anything mango based I am there with a bib round my neck.
▶ Recipe for 12 cupcakes in pretty muffin cases.
Ingredients:
125g unsalted butter
125g caster sugar
2 medium eggs
125g self raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp chai masala (go for teabag option if needs be)
Frosting
300g icing sugar
100g unsalted butter
150g cream cheese (cold)
20g ripe mango chunks
Purple food colouring
Red food colouring
Blue midnight glitter dust
Method:
It is imperative you play the album above, otherwise you might not feel the need to dance and get excited about the cakes!
Preheat fan oven to 180°c, prepare 12 hole cupcake tin with cases.
: Cream butter and sugar for a good few minutes until pale and fluffy.
: Add eggs and keep on whisking.
: Sift in flour, baking powder and chai.
: Spoon in cases and bake for 25 minutes.
: Once golden brown and you have done the poke in the middle of cake test. Take out and let them cool completely.
: Make the frosting by combining all four ingredients in a cake mixer or electric whisk. Good luck if using your hands, you will gain new muscles tomorrow! DO NOT OVER MIX THIS FROSTING (say about 3 minutes on a slow speed should be fine) Cream cheese tends to get runny.
: Divide the mixture into two bowls and add colours. Refrigerate for 10 minutes.
: Pipe on cakes and decorate with gold/silver balls and glitter.
Beautiful.
Favourite Song:
ê 'Mundian To Bach Ke'
