4. All kind of Cupcake and Muffins recipes
Chocolate Cup Cakes
These cup cakes are light and moist.
Ingredients
125 g butter or margarine
120 g sugar
2 eggs
300 ml flour (200 g)
40 ml cocoa
10 ml baking powder
5 ml vanilla essence
125 – 150 ml milk
Method
Cream butter or margarine and sugar. Add eggs and mix well. Add the flour, cocoa, baking
powder and vanilla essence. Add milk and mix well. (It should be a soft dropping consistency.)
Put into well greased patty pans or paper cups and bake at 200 C for 12 – 15 minutes.
Decorate with chocolate butter icing or alternatively cut off tops, put jam and cream on top, halve
the cut off tops and replace to look like a butterfly. Dust with icing sugar.
Makes 12
Brie, Zucchini & red pepper muffins
Ingredients
knob of butter
2 small or 1 large Zucchini, cut into small cubes
250g self-raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tbsp fresh oregano leaves or 1 tsp dried
3 eggs, lightly beaten
100ml milk
5 tbsp sunflower oil
2 red peppers, skinned (see tip, below) and cut into bite-sized pieces
85g cheddar, grated
100g brie or Camembert (check packaging for a vegetarian-friendly brand)
Method
Heat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Line 10 holes of a muffin tin with paper cases. Melt the butter in a pan and gently cook the Zucchini for about 5 mins until softened.
Mix the flour, baking powder, oregano and some seasoning in a large bowl. Make a well in the centre and add the eggs, milk and oil, stirring all the time to draw the flour into the centre. Beat for 1 min or so to make a smooth batter.
Add the Zucchini, peppers, two-thirds of the cheddar and all the Brie or Camembert to the batter, stirring well. Divide between the muffin cases and sprinkle with the remaining cheddar. Bake for 25-30 mins until the muffins feel firm to the touch and are golden and crusty on top. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Fruitburst muffins
Ingredients
225g plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 large eggs
50g butter, melted
175ml skimmed milk
100ml clear honey
140g fresh blueberries
85g dried cranberries
140g seedless raisins
140g dried apricots, chopped
1 tsp grated orange zest
1 tsp ground cinnamon
Method
Preheat the oven to 200C/gas 6/ fan 180C and very lightly butter a 12-hole muffin tin. Sift the flour and baking powder into a bowl. In another bowl, lightly beat the eggs, then stir in the melted butter, milk and honey. Add to the flour with the remaining ingredients. Combine quickly without overworking (it’s fine if there are some lumps left – you want it gloopy rather than fluid). Spoon the mixture into the muffin tin. Bake for 20-25 minutes until well risen and pale golden on top.
Leave in the tin for a few minutes before turning out. When cool, they’ll keep in an airtight tin for two days. (Can be frozen for up to 1 month.)
Pistachio cupcakes
Ingredients
100g pistachios
140g golden caster sugar
140g butter, very soft
2 eggs
140g self-raising flour
5 tbsp milk
edible glitter, to decorate
For the icing
250g icing sugar, sifted
mint green food colouring
Method
Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3 and line a 12-hole muffin tin with cases. Put 85g pistachios into a food processor with about half the sugar, then whizz until very finely chopped. Tip into a large mixing bowl with the remaining sugar, butter, eggs, flour and milk and beat until smooth. Divide between cases, then bake on a low shelf for 22-25 mins until a skewer poked in comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.
For the icing, mix just enough water into the icing sugar to get a very thick but still runny icing – just add 1 tbsp of water at a time. Stir in enough food colouring to give a pretty, pale green colour. If any cakes poke above the top of the cases, trim with a small knife, or scoop out with a teaspoon – being very careful not to release any of the case from the sides of the cake. Put a generous spoonful of icing on each cake and let it gently spread to cover. Chop the remaining pistachios and scatter these over with a pinch of edible glitter. Set, then serve.
Welsh rarebit muffins
Ingredients
225g self-raising flour
50g plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
½ level tsp bicarbonate of soda
¼ tsp salt
½ level tsp mustard powder
100g strong cheese, half grated, half cubed
6 tbsp vegetable oil
150g Greek yogurt
125ml milk
1 egg
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
Method
Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6.
Mix together the self-raising and plain flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, salt and mustard powder in a bowl.
In a separate bowl, mix the cheese, oil, yogurt, milk, egg and Worcestershire sauce.
Combine all the ingredients and divide between the muffin cases in the muffin tin.
Place in the oven for 20-25 mins until golden. Remove and cool slightly on a rack.
What you need: Ask the kids to help get everything ready, weighing scales, measuring jug, fork, 2 mixing bowls, 12 paper muffin cases, muffin tin, cheese grater, sharp knife, tablespoon, cooling rack.
Chocolate fudge cupcakes
Ingredients
200g butter
200g plain chocolate, under 70% cocoa solids is fine
200g light, soft brown sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1 tsp vanilla extract
250g self-raising flour
Smarties, sweets and sprinkles, to decorate
For the icing
200g plain chocolate
100ml double cream, not fridge-cold
50g icing sugar
Method
Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3 and line a 12-hole muffin tin with cases. Gently melt the butter, chocolate, sugar and 100ml hot water together in a large saucepan, stirring occasionally, then set aside to cool a little while you weigh the other ingredients.
Stir the eggs and vanilla into the chocolate mixture. Put the flour into a large mixing bowl, then stir in the chocolate mixture until smooth. Spoon into cases until just over three-quarters full (you may have a little mixture leftover), then set aside for 5 mins before putting on a low shelf in the oven and baking for 20-22 mins. Leave to cool.
For the icing, melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of barely simmering water. Once melted, turn off the heat, stir in the double cream and sift in the icing sugar. When spreadable, top each cake with some and decorate with your favourite sprinkles and sweets.
Apple muffins with pecan topping
Ingredients
350g plain flour
25g butter
50g dark muscovado sugar, plus 1 tbsp extra for the topping
50g pecans, chopped
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp cinnamon
284ml tub soured cream
1 egg, beaten
3 eating apples (about 140g/50z each), peeled and cored
2-3 tbsp milk
Method
Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Line a muffin tin with muffin cases. In a small bowl, use your fingertips to rub 50g of the flour together with the butter to make breadcrumbs. Stir through 1 tbsp sugar and the chopped pecans, then set aside.
In a large bowl, sift together the remaining flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and a pinch of salt, then stir in the sugar and cinnamon and set aside. Coarsely grate two of the apples, then beat together with the soured cream, egg and 2 tbsp milk. Make a well in the dry ingredients and quickly fold through the wet ingredients, adding an extra tbsp milk if really dry. Don’t over-mix or your muffins will be tough. It doesn’t matter if there are lumps of flour.
Spoon the mixture into the muffin cases – they should be about two-thirds full – then sprinkle over the pecan topping. Thinly slice the final apple, then poke slices into the tops of the muffins. Bake for 20 mins or until risen, golden and a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.
Easter muffins
Ingredients
100g butter, softened
100g golden caster sugar
2 large eggs, beaten
175g self-raising flour
5 tbsp milk
½ tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp desiccated coconut
100g red glacé cherries, cut into quarters
To decorate
85g seedless raspberries jam
50g red glacé cherries, cut into quarters
2 tbsp toasted desiccated coconut
Method
Preheat the oven to 180C/Gas 4/fan oven 160C and line a large muffin tray with 9 muffin cases. Tip the butter and sugar into a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer until paler in colour, light and fluffy. Pour in the eggs and beat until the mixture is light and creamy. Use a wooden spoon to beat in the flour, milk, vanilla and coconut until you have a soft dropping consistency. Stir in the cherries.
Spoon the mixture into the muffin cases and bake for 20 minutes until risen and golden. Lift the muffins out of the tray and sit them on a wire rack to cool slightly.
To decorate, tip the jam into a small saucepan and gently warm, stirring, until melted and smooth. Generously brush the tops of the warm cakes with the jam, stick the quartered cherries on top and sprinkle with the toasted coconut. Serve on the day of making.
Gluten-free chocolate & blueberry muffins
Ingredients
200 g unsalted butter
50 g gluten-free plain flour
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
175 g ground almonds
250 g golden caster sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
6 large free-range eggs
50 g white chocolate
200 g blueberries
Method
Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/gas 4. Line a 12-hole muffin tray with paper cases.
Melt the butter in a small pan over a medium heat, then leave to cool slightly. Meanwhile, sieve the flour and xanthan gum into a bowl, then stir in the ground almonds and sugar. Add the melted butter and vanilla extract, then fold through.
In another bowl, separate the egg whites (keep the yolks for another day). Whisk the whites well for 1 to 2 minutes, or until they start to froth. Then, using a metal spoon, stir the egg whites into the flour mixture a little at a time – you want to keep it as light and airy as possible so make sure you don't stir too much. Roughly chop and add the white chocolate, along with half the blueberries, then stir briefly to combine.
Divide the mixture between the paper cases, then sprinkle over the remaining blueberries. Place on the middle shelf of the hot oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden and an inserted skewer comes out clean. Leave to cool on a wire cooling rack, then serve.
Sticky toffee cupcakes with chocolate topping
Ingredients
30 g sultanas
30 g dried apricots
30 g dates
1 teaspoon baking powder
140 g self-raising flour
30 g muscovado sugar
1 tablespoon golden syrup
1 large free-range egg
30 g butter, melted
140 ml water, hot
For the chocolate topping;
40 g butter
40 g caster sugar
40 g good-quality dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids)
70 ml double cream
Method
Preheat the oven to 200ºC/400ºF/gas 6. In a food processor, blitz the sultanas, apricots, dates, baking powder and a little of the flour (just enough to stop the fruit sticking to the blades). If you don't have a food processor, you can chop it very finely. Put this mixture into a bowl with the muscovado sugar, the golden syrup, the egg and the melted butter and stir together. Then add the very hot water and the remaining flour and mix well with a whisk. Divide the mixture between 12 cupcake papers (I like to double up the papers to give the mixture a bit more hold) and place on a baking tray. Bake in the preheated oven for about 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, melt all the chocolate topping ingredients in a saucepan and bubble for a while until darkened in colour slightly. Remove from the heat and let the sauce cool until it thickens. Then put a blob on top of each cupcake.