Two Toned Cupcakes - Orange and Vanilla

♬ 'Random Access Memories' by Daft Punk

 

You know what I love about barbecues?

Food and music.

 

I mean great company is also important! But the food is always comforting and special. Occasionally I've been treating my housemates to cupcakes after our late night barbecues just as a sweet end to the night.  

 

Barbecues are not just about burgers and hot dogs, start baking interesting cakes to sweeten everyone up...

 

Ingredients:

 

125g soft unsalted butter

125g soft brown sugar

2 medium eggs

125g self raising flour

Half a teaspoon of baking powder

3 tbsp Soy milk

 

20g cocoa powder

Zest of half an orange

1 tsp vanilla essence

 

Embellish:

 

125g soft unsalted butter

250g icing sugar

1 tbsp Soy milk
 

Orange colouring

20g cocoa powder
Lola's edible glitter

 

 

▶ Method

 

Preheat oven 180° c, line cupcake tin with 12 cases.

Beat butter and sugar until combined and fluffy, then add the eggs.

Stir in flour, baking powder and milk.

 Divide mixture into two bowls. In one add the vanilla essence and in the other add cocoa powder and zest.
Use a teaspoon to scoop small amounts from each mixture in random order in each case.

 Bake for 20 minutes.
 Once risen and a butter knife comes out clean from the middle cake, take out of tin to cool.

Make standard butter cream with butter, icing sugar and milk. Divide this into two bowls (sorry for who ever is washing up!) Add a drop of orange colouring to one and cocoa powder to the other mixture. Spoon both mixtures into opposite sides of a piping bag and get piping!
Dip and swirl in glitter.

Eat! Eat! Eat!

Yes I'm still loving Daft Punk. Any suggestions about another album to play when baking up a storm?

M.x

Cola Cupcakes

♬ 'Random Access Memories' by Daft Punk

Yesterdays baking session consisted of flour whitening the floor, Daft Punk blaring out the kitchen and icing sugar all over my dress. The reason for cake havoc? Cola flavouring. Ever since I found it in Sainsbury's I've been tempted to bake a batch of these cakes, then suddenly I get a last minute order and I can show these beauties off!

 One small tip:
With the suns rays beaming over London, butter cream really doesn't stand a chance outdoors. These have to be eaten straight away at a barbecue or kept in the fridge, then left out for five minutes for the sponge to reach room temperature.

The best part I find when making cupcakes is the smell of the magic working in the oven and decorating them. I think it's really important for cupcakes to be embellished in a creative way to reflect their flavour.

Get yourself a large rose tip nozzle for piping, fancy muffin cases, Dr Oetker edible gold decorating spray and few fizzy cola bottles.

Ingredients:

60g unsalted soft butter
150g soft brown sugar
1 large egg
20g cocoa powder
150g plain wholemeal flour
130ml milk mixed with 1 tbsp white wine vinegar (buttermilk)
Half a teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda
2 tsp white wine vinegar

Embellish:

60g unsalted soft butter
125g icing sugar
50g cocoa powder
2 tsp cola flavouring
2tbsp milk
Dr Oetker gold spray
Fizzy cola bottles

▶ Method:
 

Preheat oven 180°c

Beat butter and sugar until combined and fluffy, then add the egg.

Stir in cocoa, flour and buttermilk mixture.

Lastly add bicarbonate of soda and vinegar.

Divide mixture into 12 cases and bake for 20 minutes.

Once risen and a butter knife comes out clean from middle cake, take out of tin to cool.

 

Make frosting by softening butter first (otherwise icing sugar will go everywhere) and stirring in icing sugar slowly then whisking with cocoa, milk and flavouring.

Pipe on completely cold cakes, spray gold from a short distance and top with cola bottles.

 

Favourite song this month:

'Doin' It Right' by Daft Punk and Panda Bear.

 

Enjoy.x

Cherry Chocolate and Strawberry Cupcakes

 

♬ 'Random Access Memories' by Daft Punk

 

There's something about the British strawberry that's enticed me. From using it as a cereal topper then in salads and definitely smothered in Greek yoghurt for pudding. This red jewel is a British staple during summer and I love it.

 

Yesterday morning I decided to mix it cook it with cupcakes and Daft Punk. Next time you feel like baking, try these. Trust me they will please anyone with a sweet tooth.

 

Ingredients:

 

60g unsalted butter

150g brown sugar

200ml milk with 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar which will make buttermilk.

30g cocoa

1 large egg

150g self raising flour

50g French glace cherries

Orange zest

4 medium strawberries hulled and crushed.

 

Quark cream cheese or another low fat option.

Oatmeal

Small strawberries to add on top.

 

Method:

 

Preheat oven 180°c, line muffin tin with cases.

  Mix butter and sugar until fluffy, this might take more than 5 minutes without a hand held whisk.

Add egg and once combined pour in buttermilk.

 Next in the mix is flour, cherries and orange zest.

 Divide the mixture into 12 cases and spoon a tiny bit of crushed strawberries on top.

. For accurate sizes use an ice cream scoop or two dessertspoons, I find it's best to start off small in each case then top up if there's any mixture left in the bowl.

Bake for 25 minutes until springy and well risen.

 Leave to cool out of the tin and on a cooling rack.

 

Once completely cold, add a teaspoon of cream cheese on each cake, sprinkle oatmeal and top with strawberry.

 

Favourite Song:

 

"Touch" by Daft Punk and Paul Williams

 

 

.

Thai Spinach Soup

♬ 'Black and White' by Wretch 32

 

  I love London talent.

Jermaine Sinclair is an inspiring character. From being a face around Tottenham to being the face for Adidas. Just goes to show, if you keep pushing and striving for a dream, everything else will come knocking on the door.

 

 

Yesterday I was handed a bag of organic spinach, the leaves looked pungent green and there was still bits of soil at the roots. This sort of stuff gets me very excited. For those who are new to this page, I LOVE spinach. I even think Popeye the sailor man should start re appearing to send a positive message to kids about spinach...and sailors.

 

For lunch I made this amazing soup which was spicy, fragrant and full of other colourful vegetables.

 

Green is good.

Colour on your plate is even better.

Mix things up a bit.

 

▶ Ingredients for two servings:

 

2 tsp green curry paste

1 tbsp groundnut oil

1 small sweet potato

1 small courgette

4 small broccoli florets

2 cloves crushed garlic

300ml water

Half an apple

50ml light coconut milk

Half a tsp of ground ginger

1 tsp dessicated coconut

250g organic spinach

2 crushed kaffir lime leaves

Fresh coriander

Pumpkin seeds

 

Method:

 

In a large pot heat oil and stir through paste and crushed garlic.

Add peeled sweet potato, courgette and broccoli.

Stir well for 2 minutes then add coconut milk and ground ginger.

When milk is bubbling hot, incorporate water with a pinch of salt.

Once potatoes are quite soft, get spinach and apple involved.

Use a hand blender to smooth things out.

Keep on a low heat and sprinkle kaffir lime leaves.

 Taste to see if it's spicy enough. Leave on low heat for five minutes.

Lastly stir through dessicated coconut and serve with fresh coriander and seeds.

With the end of a teaspoon, dip it into coconut milk and create whirl on top of soup.

 

Sorted.

 

 

Songs in the kitchen:

 

'Traktor'

'Blackout'

 

Blueberry, Pear and Pomegranate Crumble Muffins

♬ 'Modern Vampires Of The City' by Vampire Weekend

About time I got typing and about time Vampire Weekend released another wonderful album.   At last a fresh new start for the blog and this mischievous Patel. Soon I won't be in childcare, and will be tossed into the creative world of contract catering, exciting times ahead. 

Moving onto food. I've been steering away from cakes lately, this is due to exercising ridiculously ready to take on half a marathon in September and maybe a full marathon next year. Over ambitious and repetitive - that's me. This sort of thinking will only push you to aim as high as possible.  

With our glorious sun in full force I wanted to bake something fruity but quite naughty, a snack that is viable with a strong cup of chai and also full of good stuff. 

Muffins are seen as one of those really simple bakes that most people can't mess up, they give you a base to make whatever flavour you like and without jeopardising the overall texture or appearance. 

Get Vampire Weekend on and try these bad boys. Complete with a naughty crumble topping which would be oh so delicious with a dollop of custard or greek yoghurt, if you don't want one with tea.

Ingredients for 12 large muffins or if using a cupcake tin, about 18.

Crumble

300g plain flour

100g caster sugar

200g organic unsalted butter, left out at room temperature.

Rub together until it resembles fine breadcrumbs and put in fridge.

Wet:

2 medium eggs

300g caster sugar

1 tbsp date syrup

380ml semi skimmed milk

Grated zest of orange

140g organic unsalted butter - melted.

Dry:

540g plain flour

3 tsp baking powder

1 large pear

100g fresh blueberries

100g fresh pomegranate

Handful of pumpkin seeds for crumble topping and keep a few bits of fruit.

Method:

Line muffin tray with cases or lightly grease with melted butter.

 Preheat oven 180°c

Put all wet ingredients in a bowl and give it a good whisk.

In another bowl add flour, baking powder, chopped pear, blueberries and pomegranate. Mix to combine and coat fruit. Then tip in wet ingredients bowl and mix with butter knife.

Scoop into cases, next be generous with adding crumble and dot with fruit and pumpkin seeds. I used my hands to form a dome over each mixture.

Bake for 30 minutes.

DONE!

 

Here's a pic with muffin dress off...

 

 

Favourite Song

'Unbelievers'