Chocolate and Orange Cupcakes

Tins needed:

Bun tray

Ingredients:

225g (8oz) softened butter

225g (8oz) caster sugar

225g (8oz) self raising flour

1 tsp baking powder

4 eggs

2 tbsp cocoa powder

Zest of 1 orange

100g (3 ½ oz chocolate chips)

For icing:

175g (6oz) plain chocolate

100g (3 ½ oz white chocolate)

Makes  about 18.

Preheat the oven to 180 C.

Line the bun tray with baking cases.

Place the butter, caster sugar, flour, baking powder, eggs, orange zest and cocoa powder in a large mixing bowl and beat for 2-3 minutes until well combined.

Stir in the chocolate chips.

Spoon the mixture into paper cases.

Bake for 18 minutes until well risen.

Transfer to wire rack to cool.

Melt the chocolate separately in a bowl over a pan of simmering water.

Spoon over the top of the cooled cupcakes.

Decorate as required.

Carrot and Walnut Cupcakes 2

Cake tins needed

2 x 12-hole cupcake tray lined with paper cases

For the cake

2 cups granulated sugar

2½ cups plain flour

1⅓ cups vegetable oil

3 extra-large eggs

1 tsp pure vanilla essence

1 tbsp plain flour (to toss walnuts and sultanas in)

2 tsps ground cinnamon

2 tsps bicarbonate of soda

1½ tsps salt

1 cup sultanas

1 cup chopped walnuts

450g grated carrots

For the frosting

125g cold Philadelphia full fat cream cheese

50g softened unsalted butter

300g icing sugar

6tsp vanilla essence

50g chopped walnuts

Method

Preheat the oven to 170°C.

For the cake

Beat the sugar, oil, and eggs together in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until light yellow.
Add the vanilla.

In another bowl, sift together 2 1/2 cups flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients.

Toss the raisins and walnuts with 1 tablespoon flour - this will stop raisins sinking to the bottom.
Fold in the carrots.

Add to the batter and mix well.

Divide the batter between 24 cupcake cases.
Bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Allow the cakes to cool for 5  minutes in the trays and then transfer to a wire rack.

For the frosting

Beat the icing sugar and butter together in a mixer with paddle attachment on medium-slow speed until the mixture comes together and is well mixed.

Add vanilla extract.

Add Philadelphia in one go and beat until it is completely incorporated.

Turn the mixer up to medium-­high speed.

Continue beating until the frosting is light and fluffy, at least 5 minutes.

Do not overbeat, as it can quickly become runny.

Fold in chopped walnuts.

Transfer the frosting to piping bag with star nozzle and decorate the cupcake when completely cooled.

Raspberry Victoria Sandwich

Light sponge perfect with nice cup of tea.

For the cakes

4 free-range eggs

225g/8oz, golden caster sugar plus a little extra for dusting the finished cake

225g/8oz self raising flour

225g/8oz butter at room temperature, plus a little extra to grease the tins

For filling

5 table spoons raspberry jelly

For decorating top

100g freeze dried raspberries

1 tbsp sifted icing sugar

Preheat the oven to 180C.

Grease and line 2 x 20cm/8in sandwich tins.

Break the eggs into a mixing bowl, add the sugar, flour, baking powder and butter.

Mix everything together until well combined.

Be careful not to over-mix – as soon as everything is blended you should stop.

The finished mixture should be of a soft ‘dropping’ consistency – it should fall off a spoon easily.

Divide the mixture evenly between the tins: this doesn’t need to be exact.

Smooth the surface of the cakes.

Place the tins on the middle shelf of the oven and bake for 25 minutes.

The cakes are done when they’re golden-brown and coming away from the edge of the tins.

Remove them from the oven and set aside to cool in their tins for five minutes. Then run a palette or rounded butter knife around the inside edge of the tin and carefully turn the cakes out onto a cooling rack.

To take your cakes out of the tins without leaving a wire rack mark on the top, put the clean tea towel over the tin, put your hand onto the tea towel and turn the tin upside-down.

The cake should come out onto your hand and the tea towel – then you can turn it from your hand onto the wire rack.

Set aside to cool completely.

To assemble the cake, place one cake upside down onto a plate and spread it with plenty of jam.

Top with the second cake, top-side up.

Sprinkle over the icing sugar.

Decorate with freeze dried raspberries.

Almond and Orange Cake

Deliciously moist and fragrant cake - butter and flour free.



Cake tin needed

20cm (8in) deep cake tin

Ingredients

200g (7oz) peeled carrots

4 large eggs, separated

few drops of vanilla extract

1 orange

150g (5 ½ oz) caster sugar

1 tbsp orange juice or orange liqueur

150g (5 ½ oz) ground almonds

Raspberries, to garnish

Icing sugar, for dusting

Preheat the oven to 160 C.

Line the cake tin with baking parchment.

Cook the carrots in a little water until tender, then drain, cool slightly, and blend to a puree with the orange juice or orange liqueur.

Whisk the egg yolks in a large bowl with the vanilla and grated orange.

Gradually add the sugar, whisking until it becomes thick and pale.

Fold in the carrot puree and ground almonds.

In a clean, dry bowl , whisk the egg whites until stiff, then fold them into the yolk mixture.

Pour into the prepared cake tin and bake for 1 hour, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.

Cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then transfer the cake to a wire rack to cool completely.

Pile on the raspberries and sift icing sugar over the top to serve.

Serve with whipped cream.

Jubilee Strawberry, Blueberry and Cream Victoria Sandwich

Strawberry, Blueberry and Cream Victoria Sandwich for Diamond Jubilee.

For the cakes

4 free-range eggs

225g/8oz, caster sugar plus a little extra for dusting the finished cake

225g/8oz self raising flour225g/8oz butter at room temperature, plus a little extra to grease the tins

For filling

5 table spoons strawberry jam

100g fresh strawberries

300ml whipping or double cream

For decorating top

100g fresh strawberries

100g fresh blueberries

2tbsp freeze dried strawberries

1 tbsp sifted icing sugar

Preheat the oven to 180C.

Grease and line 2 x 20cm/8in sandwich tins.

Break the eggs into a mixing bowl, add the sugar, flour, baking powder and butter.

Mix everything together until well combined.

Be careful not to over-mix – as soon as everything is blended you should stop.

The finished mixture should be of a soft ‘dropping’ consistency – it should fall off a spoon easily.

Divide the mixture evenly between the tins: this doesn’t need to be exact.

Smooth the surface of the cakes.

Place the tins on the middle shelf of the oven and bake for 25 minutes.

The cakes are done when they’re golden-brown and coming away from the edge of the tins.

Remove them from the oven and set aside to cool in their tins for five minutes. Then run a palette or rounded butter knife around the inside edge of the tin and carefully turn the cakes out onto a cooling rack.

To take your cakes out of the tins without leaving a wire rack mark on the top, put the clean tea towel over the tin, put your hand onto the tea towel and turn the tin upside-down.

The cake should come out onto your hand and the tea towel – then you can turn it from your hand onto the wire rack.

Set aside to cool completely.

To assemble the cake, place one cake upside down onto a plate and spread it with plenty of jam.

Pipe or spread over whipped cream and add strawberries.

Top with the second cake, top-side up.

Sprinkle over the caster sugar.

Decorate with fresh and freeze dried strawberries and blueberries.





Jubilee Cupcakes

Red, blue and white cupcakes for Queen's Diamond Jubilee



For the cupcakes

120g plain flour
140 g caster sugar
40 g unsalted butter
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
120 ml full fat milk
1 egg
This makes enough batter for about 10.

Mix flour, sugar, baking powder and butter in a food processor, pulse until sandy.

Add half the milk and vanilla bean paste, blend, beat egg with rest of the milk, add to mix and blend until smooth.

Divide between 10 muffin cases.

Add 2 blueberries to each case.

Bake @ 170 for 20 mins.

Cool for 5 mins in the tin.

Then transfer to a wire rack.

For the icing

500 g icing sugar
125 g butter softened
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
3 tbsp milk
Beat together in free standing whisk for 10 minutes.

Decorate with red, blue and white as wished.

Raspberry Blueberry and Cream Victoria Sandwich



Light sponge with fresh cream and raspberries (made for Queen's Diamond Jubilee)



For the cakes

4 free-range eggs

225g/8oz, caster sugar plus a little extra for dusting the finished cake

225g/8oz self raising flour

225g/8oz butter at room temperature, plus a little extra to grease the tins

For filling

5 table spoons raspberry jelly

100g fresh raspberries

300ml whipping or double cream

For decorating top

100g fresh raspberries

100g fresh blueberries

1 tbsp sifted icing sugar

Preheat the oven to 180C.

Grease and line 2 x 20cm/8in sandwich tins.

Break the eggs into a mixing bowl, add the sugar, flour, baking powder and butter.

Mix everything together until well combined.

Be careful not to over-mix – as soon as everything is blended you should stop.

The finished mixture should be of a soft ‘dropping’ consistency – it should fall off a spoon easily.

Divide the mixture evenly between the tins: this doesn’t need to be exact.

Smooth the surface of the cakes.

Place the tins on the middle shelf of the oven and bake for 25 minutes.

The cakes are done when they’re golden-brown and coming away from the edge of the tins.

Remove them from the oven and set aside to cool in their tins for five minutes. Then run a palette or rounded butter knife around the inside edge of the tin and carefully turn the cakes out onto a cooling rack.

To take your cakes out of the tins without leaving a wire rack mark on the top, put the clean tea towel over the tin, put your hand onto the tea towel and turn the tin upside-down.

The cake should come out onto your hand and the tea towel – then you can turn it from your hand onto the wire rack.

Set aside to cool completely.

To assemble the cake, place one cake upside down onto a plate and spread it with plenty of jam.

Pipe or spread over whipped cream and add raspberries.

Top with the second cake, top-side up.

Sprinkle over the caster sugar.

Decorate with raspberries and blueberries.

French Madeleines

Madeleines are best eaten on the day of making and, in France, are traditionally dipped into tea to eat.

Cake tin needed
a madeleine tray

Ingredients
150g (5oz) butter
3 large eggs
150g (5oz) caster sugar
150g (5oz) self-raising flour
½ level tsp baking powder
zest of 1 lemon

Preheat the oven to 220°C/Fan 200°C/gas 7.

Grease a madeleine tray, dust with flour and shake off any excess – the cakes will then come out cleanly.

Melt the butter in a small pan and then allow to cool slightly.

Measure the eggs and sugar into a large bowl and whisk until pale and thick.

Sift in half the flour along with the baking powder and the lemon zest and fold in gently.

Pour in half the melted butter around the edge of the bowl and fold in.

Repeat the process with the remaining flour and butter.

Spoon the mixture into the prepared tray so that the mixture is just level in the moulds.

Bake for 8–10 minutes or until well risen, golden and springy to the touch.

Ease out of the tray with a small palette knife and cool on a wire rack.

Grease and flour the tray again and repeat until all the mixture has been used up.