This Easter weekend has been the most challenging, baking wise, ever. Not only did I need to make something nice for Easter, but it was my mum's 50th birthday!
I mean it was on the same level as the Burger Cake as I had to stay up late putting the finishing touches on the 50 cupcakes.
I know 50 isn't really a huge number compared to the professionals, but making the decorations like roses and buttons as well as paint them with edible paints is a tough job to do in one go. Nevertheless, I managed and they went down a treat.
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Lemon Cupcakes with a Lemon Buttercream |
Mum had no idea what she wanted, the only clue I was given was: "chocolate or lemon maybe... I'm not sure just make something nice for my 50th."
By the end of the night I was covered in buttercream, icing sugar and glitter. I also had a fair amount of chocolate buttercream. It was just 'taste tasting'.
I would recommend that, since this is a large amount of cupcakes, that you use a mixer like a Kitchen Aid. It makes things a little easier. However, if you half each recipe you can use a small hand held whisk (Lemon cupcakes 12 and Chocolate cupcakes 16).
By the end of the night I was covered in buttercream, icing sugar and glitter. I also had a fair amount of chocolate buttercream. It was just 'taste tasting'.
I would recommend that, since this is a large amount of cupcakes, that you use a mixer like a Kitchen Aid. It makes things a little easier. However, if you half each recipe you can use a small hand held whisk (Lemon cupcakes 12 and Chocolate cupcakes 16).
· 220g
unsalted butter, at room temperature
· 550g
golden caster sugar
· 4
large eggs
· 300g
self raising flour, sifted
· 350g
plain flour, sifted
· 180ml
semi-skimmed milk at room temperature
· 4
tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
· 2
tablespoon natural yoghurt
· Grated
zest of lemon (About 2 teaspoons)
· 220g
unsalted butter, at room temperature
· 8
tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
· Grated
zest of 2-3 unwaxed lemons about 4 teaspoons
· 1kg
icing sugar, sifted
· Glitter, sprinkles, decorations and even candles!
· Glitter, sprinkles, decorations and even candles!
Equipment:
· Bowl x3
· Mixer
· Grater/zester
· Measuring
Jug
· Sieve
· Tablespoon
· Muffin
tray lined with cupcake cases x 2
· Palette Knife
1. Pre-heat the oven to 160c fan/180c/350f/Gas Mark 4 and line a 12 hole muffin tray with cupcake cases.
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Step 2. Cream the Butter and Sugar together. |
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Step 2. Add the eggs and beat well |
3. Combine
the two flours in a separate bowl and combine the milk, lemon juice and sour
cream in a jug. Add one-third of the flours to the creamed mixture and beat
well. Pour in one-third of the milk mixture and beat again. Repeat these steps
until all the flour and milk has been added, incorporating the lemon zest with
the last third with the flour. Don’t worry if the mixture begins to curdle:
simply add another spoonful of plain flour and beat well.
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Step 3. The lemon cupcake cake batter once all the ingredients have been added. |
5. Remove
from the oven and leave the cakes in their tins for about 10 minutes before
carefully placing on a wire rack to cool. Once they are completely cool, you
can ice the cupcakes.
6. In
a large mixing bowl beat the butter, lemon juice, zest and half the icing sugar
until smooth-this can take several minutes using a electric hand mixer.
Gradually add the reminder of the icing sugar and beat again until smooth and
creamy.
There were quite a few cupcakes....
Ok, there were a lot of cupcakes and that's just the lemon ones!
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Chocolate Cupcakes decorated with sugar paste buttons and butterflies. |
Recipe: Makes 32
cupcakes
· 230g
70% good-quality dark chocolate
· 170g
unsalted butter, at room temperature
· 350g
golden caster sugar
· 4
large eggs, separated
· 370g
plain flour, sifted
· 1
¾ teaspoons baking powder
· 1
¾ teaspoons bicarbonate of soda
· 500ml
semi-skimmed milk at room temperature
· Large
pinch of salt
· 2
teaspoons of vanilla extract
Buttercream
· 344g
70% good-quality dark chocolate
· 2
tablespoons semi-skimmed milk at room temperature
· 450g
unsalted butter, at room temperature
· 2
teaspoons vanilla extract
· 500g
icing sugar, sifted
Equipment:
· Bowl x3
· Mixer
· Electric
hand mixer/whisk
· Measuring
Jug
· Sieve
· Tablespoon
· Teaspoon
· Large
Metal spoon
· Muffin tray
lined with cupcake cases x 3
· Palette Knife/Icing bag fitted with a star nozzle
· Palette Knife/Icing bag fitted with a star nozzle
1. Pre-heat the oven to 170c fan/190c/350f/Gas Mark 5 and line the 12 hole muffin trays with cupcake cases.
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Step 2. Melt the chocolate in 30 second bursts mixing well in between |
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Step 3. Cream the butter and sugar. Add the eggs and beat well. |
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Step 4. The cake mixture with the flour and milk mixtures all added. |
5. In
a clean bowl, whisk the egg whites until soft peaks start to form. Carefully
fold in the eggs whites into the cake batter with a metal spoon. (Don’t beat or
you’ll take the air out of the mixture.)
6. Carefully
spoon the mixture into the cupcake cases, filling them to about two-thirds
full. (You may find it easier to put the mixture into a jug to pour into
cupcake cases, as its very liquid batter!) Bake in the oven for about 20-25
minutes. To check they are cooked, insert a skewer in the centre of one of the
cakes-it should come out clean.
7. Remove
from the oven and leave the cakes in their tins for about 10 minutes before
carefully placing on a wire rack to cool. Once they are completely cool, you
can ice the cupcakes.
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Step 8. Add the chocolate once all the other ingredients have been mixed. |
8. To
make the chocolate buttercream, melt the chocolate as in step 2. In a large
mixing bowl beat the butter, milk, vanilla extract and the icing sugar until
smooth-this can take several minutes using an electric hand mixer. Add the chocolate and beat until all of the chocolate has been incorporated. This should
be easy to pipe in a piping bag or spread with a palette knife.
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Chocolate buttercream in all it's chocolatey glory! Taste test required. |
The most important thing is that mum had a good 50th birthday. I'll be posting really soon on where we went and what we did. It has something to do with baking (or at least eating baked products). For now I'll have to keep you guessing.
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