PERFECT WEEK......



I'm soo excited.... I've just found out it is NATIONAL CUPCAKE WEEK!  The perfect excuse to try a different cupcake everyday.....actually, the week hopes to get you and I not just eating cupcakes but baking them too!

It's not just making the cupcakes that can give so much pleasure it's the decorating of them too.  You can let your creative juices flow when you pipe on your butter cream or frosting and choose from a wide variety of dusting powders, edible glitter, flowers and coloured sugars that are available at most supermarkets and specialised cake decorating sites online.

Then there are the beautiful wrappers that snuggle around the cupcakes and of course the stunning cake stands that you can display the finished pieces of artwork on....

So don't go out and buy cupcakes today, stay inside and dig out the mixing bowl and get creative. 

If you need a little help, why not try Rachel Allen's Lemon Cupcakes...

MAKES 12 CUPCAKES

INGREDIENTS

• 125g butter, softened
• 175g caster sugar
• Finely grated zest 1/2 large lemon (keeping the zest of the remaining half for the lemon icing)
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 150g plain flour
• 1/4tsp baking powder

FOR THE LEMON BUTTER ICING

• 75g butter, softened
• 125g icing sugar, sifted
• Finely grated zest of 1/2 large lemon
• 1-2tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 12 crystallised flowers, optional

METHOD

1.  Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas 4. Line a 12-hole cake tin with 12 paper cases. Cream the butter in a large bowl or in a food mixer until soft. Add the sugar and grated lemon zest and beat until the mixture is light and fluffy.

2.  Gradually add the beaten eggs, then sift in the flour and baking powder and fold into the mixture. Alternatively, whizz all the ingredients together in a food mixer.

3.  Divide the mixture between the paper cases and bake for 7-10 minutes, until risen and golden. When cooked, the top of each cake should be slightly springy to the touch. Remove from the tin and place on a wire rack to cool before you ice them.

4.  To make the icing, cream the butter in a bowl with a wooden spoon or hand-held electric beater until soft. Add the icing sugar and beat into the butter, along with the lemon zest and enough lemon juice to soften the icing to a spreadable consistency.

5.  When the cupcakes are cool, spread a heaped teaspoon of lemon butter icing over the top of each one. Decorate with the crystallised flowers, if using.

 

Happy baking!  Pop by and let me know what you decide to make....