Snow Day Cupcakes!

Snow is a beautiful sight. Its fun to build snowmen, get into a snowball fight and generally have a day off. Sadly I still had to go into work. No snowball fights for me boo. (I did take a couple of photos but haven't got my camera with me. I'm on my nans iPad)
I am lucky because I've got more then half the week off to see my Portsmouth hospitality crew (Big it up for the Portsmouth crew!!!) 
I seriously miss you guys! Its going to be one amazing catch up!
And I get to see my lovely boyfriend, who I'm making a very special cake for. (Can't post what it is cause he'll guess and that ruins the surprise). More on that when its finished. 

In the mean time, I've been busy making some snowy cupcakes. I got this from a random recipe book. To be honest they didn't turn out the way I wanted them to. They taste so chocolately and moist but don't look so hot (or cool since there snow cupcakes). My suggestion is that you try the cupcake sponge with the icing from here. The yeti marshmallow icing is amazing and would go well with the chocolate sponge in this recipe. (Pictures soon to follow. Edit: Pictures added.)

Recipe: Chocolate Marshmallow Cupcakes.

•        2 Eggs
•        90g/ tbsp diced unsalted butter, room temperature
•        170g/ ¾ cup of caster sugar
•        140g/ 1 cup plus 2 tbsp of plain flour
•        1 teaspoon baking powder
•        30g/ ¼ cup cocoa powder
•        ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
•        125ml/ ½ cup milk
•        35g/ ½ cup mini marshmallow, plus extra to decorate
•        Store-bought chocolate sauce to drizzle

Recipe: Marshmallow frosting

•        180g/ 1 scant cup of caster sugar
•        ¼ teaspoon cream of tartare
•        3 egg whites
•        1 teaspoon vanilla extract
•        100ml/ 1/3 cup water

Equipment:

•        Sieve
•        Bowlx2
•        Mixer
•        Measuring jug
•        Scraper
•        12 hole muffin tin filled with cupcake cases
•        Saucepan
•        Sugar thermometer  
• 
  

1.    Preheat oven to 180c/350c/Gas Mark 4. Line the muffin tin with cupcake cases.

2.    Sieve together the flour, cocoa powder and baking powder in a bowl.

3.    Beat the butter, sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy using a mixer. Stop occasionally to scrape down the bowl.

4.    Crack all the eggs into a jug.

5.    Add the eggs a little at a time with the mixer on a higher speed. (if the mixture splits add a little bit of flour)

6.    Add the sifted dry ingredients and milk in alternate batches and beat on a low speed until combined. Fold in the marshmallows.

7.    Divide the mixture between the cupcake cases. Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes or until well risen and a skewer inserted in the middles comes out clean.

8.    Place the cupcakes on a wire rack to cool.

9.    To make the frosting, put the sugar, cream of tar tar and water into a saucepan and mix well.

10.  Heat until the sugar has dissolved and a sugar thermometer in the mixture reads 115c/242f.

11.Meanwhile, in a separate, grease-free heat-proof bowl, whisk the egg whites with an electric hand mixer until stiff peaks forms.

12. Pour a thin, slow stream of the sugar syrup into the egg whites and doesn't hit the beaters otherwise sugar crystals will form. Stir in the vanilla and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

13.Spread the frosting over the cold cupcakes using a spatula. Top with mini marshmallows and chocolate sauce. 

Bake On!
Penny