RECIPE LIST
These are one of my best-selling cupcakes at Easter. People love the gooey eggs splattered on top of the cakes. The hidden eggs in the centre melt when the cakes are returned to the oven, and these make a great surprise when people bite into them. I like to use Cadbury Mini Creme Eggs for my cakes.
PREPARATION TIME: 25 MINUTES | BAKING TIME: 20 MINUTES | MAKES 12 CAKES
FOR THE CUPCAKES
100G UNSALTED BUTTER, SOFTENED
100G CASTER SUGAR
100G LIGHT BROWN SUGAR
4 EGGS
160G SELF-RAISING FLOUR, SIFTED
60G COCOA POWDER, SIFTED
1 TEASPOON BICARBONATE OF SODA
80ML SOURED CREAM
2 TEASPOONS VANILLA BEAN PASTE
A PINCH OF SALT
12 MINI MILK CHOCOLATE FONDANT EGGS
FOR THE BUTTERCREAM
300G ICING SUGAR, SIFTED
40G COCOA POWDER, SIFTED
150G UNSALTED BUTTER, SOFTENED
60ML MILK
TO DECORATE
200G ICING SUGAR
YELLOW FOOD COLOURING
12 MINI MILK CHOCOLATE FONDANT EGGS
EQUIPMENT: MIXER, 12-HOLE MUFFIN TIN LINED WITH MUFFIN CASES, CUPCAKE PLUNGER OR SHARP KNIFE, PIPING BAG FITTED WITH STAR NOZZLE
Preheat the oven to 160°C/325°F/Gas Mark 3.
Using a mixer, whisk together the butter, caster sugar and light brown sugar until light and creamy. Add the eggs and whisk again. Gently fold in the flour, cocoa powder and bicarbonate of soda, soured cream, vanilla bean paste and salt, using a spatula.
Divide the cake mixture between the muffin cases and bake for 20 minutes, until the cakes are almost firm to touch. Remove from the oven and leave to cool for 10 minutes. When the cakes are cool enough to handle, cut out the centre of each one using the cupcake plunger or a sharp knife. Unwrap the mini chocolate eggs and place one into each hole in the cupcakes, then place the removed cake back on top. Return the cakes to the oven and cook for about a further 2 minutes, until the eggs have melted. Transfer to a rack to cool.
For the buttercream, whisk together the icing sugar, cocoa powder, butter and milk to make a rich chocolate frosting. Pipe a thick layer over the top of each cake. Mix the icing sugar for the decoration with about 1–2 tablespoons of water until smooth and thick. Divide the icing between 2 bowls and colour one batch with a few drops of yellow food colour, mixing until the colouring is an evenly bright yellow.
Spoon a little white icing on top of each cake and top with a little yellow icing. Unwrap the remaining mini eggs and cut each one in half. Place two egg halves on top of the white and yellow icing so that it looks as if the egg has been cracked on top of the cake.
The cakes will keep for up to 3 days if stored in an airtight container.
Chocolate Cream Egg Cupcakes
Fizzy cola bottles were one of my favourite sweets as a kid, and Dixie loves them too (although I try not to give them to her too often!). These are great cakes to serve for kids’ parties – cola and chocolate are a match made in heaven.
PREPARATION TIME: 25 MINUTES | BAKING TIME: 20 MINUTES | MAKES 12 CAKES
FOR THE CUPCAKES
200G UNSALTED BUTTER, SOFTENED
220G CASTER SUGAR
4 EGGS
420G SELF-RAISING FLOUR, SIFTED
2 TEASPOONS BAKING POWDER
2 TEASPOONS VANILLA BEAN PASTE OR VANILLA EXTRACT
400ML COLA
4 TABLESPOONS COCOA POWDER, SIFTED
200ML MILK
FOR THE BUTTERCREAM
300G ICING SUGAR, SIFTED
30G COCOA POWDER, SIFTED
150G UNSALTED BUTTER
EITHER 50ML COLA OR 1½ TABLESPOONS COLA EXTRACT
TO DECORATE
FIZZY COLA BOTTLES
EQUIPMENT: MIXER, 12-HOLE MUFFIN TIN LINED WITH MUFFIN CASES, PIPING BAG FITTED WITH STAR NOZZLE
Preheat the oven to 160°C/325°F/Gas Mark 3.
Using a mixer, whisk together the butter and caster sugar until light and creamy. Add the eggs and whisk again. Gently fold in the flour, baking powder, vanilla bean paste, cola, cocoa powder and milk, using a spatula.
Spoon the cake mixture into the muffin cases. Bake for 20 minutes, until the cakes are firm and spring back to your touch. Transfer to a rack to cool.
For the buttercream, whisk together the icing sugar, cocoa powder, butter and cola or cola extract to make a smooth, stiff frosting. If your icing is a little too runny after adding the cola, just add 50-70g icing sugar a little at a time and mix after each addition until you get the desired consistency. Pipe it over the top of each cake and decorate with fizzy cola bottles.
The cakes will keep for up to 3 days if stored in an airtight container.
Cola Cupcakes
Although it may seem very quirky to make a sweet cake with courgettes in it, the courgette itself has no flavour and just gives the cupcakes a wonderfully moist texture. With hints of lemon and lime, these little cakes are really refreshing, particularly when topped with a rich cream cheese frosting.
PREPARATION TIME: 25 MINUTES | BAKING TIME: 20 MINUTES | MAKES 12 CAKES
FOR THE CUPCAKES
200G UNSALTED BUTTER, SOFTENED
220G CASTER SUGAR
4 EGGS
220G SELF-RAISING FLOUR, SIFTED
2 TEASPOONS BAKING POWDER
240G COURGETTES, ENDS TRIMMED, COARSELY GRATED
ZEST AND JUICE OF 4 LEMONS
FOR THE CREAM CHEESE ICING
450G ICING SUGAR, SIFTED
70G UNSALTED BUTTER, SOFTENED
180G CREAM CHEESE
JUICE AND ZEST OF 2 LIMES
EQUIPMENT: MIXER, GRATER, 12-HOLE MUFFIN TIN LINED WITH MUFFIN CASES, PIPING BAG FITTED WITH A ROUND NOZZLE
Preheat the oven to 160°C/325°F/Gas Mark 3.
Using a mixer, whisk together the butter and caster sugar until light and creamy. Add the eggs and whisk again. Gently fold in the flour, baking powder, grated courgette and the lemon juice and zest, using a spatula.
Divide the mixture between the muffin cases and bake for 20 minutes, until the cakes are firm and spring back to your touch. Transfer to a rack to cool.
For the icing, whisk together the icing sugar, butter, cream cheese and the lime juice and zest in a mixing bowl until light and creamy. Spoon into the piping bag and pipe a swirl on top of each cooled cupcake.
The cakes will keep for up to 3 days if stored in an airtight container.
Courgette Cupcakes
When I appeared on the BBC’s The Apprentice, I was one of those love-me or hate-me contestants, just like Marmite! To celebrate my appearance we made these cakes in the shop – you will have to trust me that this combination does actually taste good, although if you are not convinced you can just omit the yeast extract from the recipe and make chocolate cream cheese cupcakes instead! I love to use glossy black muffin cases to show these cakes off to best effect.
PREPARATION TIME: 25 MINUTES | BAKING TIME: 20 MINUTES | MAKES 12 CAKES
FOR THE CUPCAKES
230G UNSALTED BUTTER, SOFTENED
230G CASTER SUGAR
4 EGGS
230G SELF-RAISING FLOUR, SIFTED
60G COCOA POWDER, SIFTED
2 TEASPOONS BAKING POWDER
4 TEASPOONS MARMITE, OR OTHER YEAST EXTRACT, DISSOLVED IN 50ML HOT WATER
FOR THE BUTTERCREAM
255G ICING SUGAR, SIFTED
30G UNSALTED BUTTER, SOFTENED
60G CREAM CHEESE
1 TABLESPOON MILK
A FEW DROPS OF YELLOW FOOD COLOURING
TO DECORATE
CHOCOLATE SPRINKLES
EQUIPMENT: MIXER, 12-HOLE MUFFIN TIN LINED WITH BLACK MUFFIN CASES, PIPING BAG FITTED WITH LARGE ROUND NOZZLE
Preheat the oven to 160°C/325°F/Gas Mark 3.
Using a mixer, whisk together the butter and caster sugar until light and creamy. Add the eggs and whisk again. Fold in the flour, cocoa powder and baking powder using a spatula, together with the yeast extract liquid. Divide the cake mixture between the muffin cases and bake for 20 minutes, until the cakes are firm and spring back to your touch. Transfer to a rack to cool.
For the buttercream, whisk together the icing sugar, butter, cream cheese, milk and food colouring to make a bright yellow frosting. Spoon into the piping bag and pipe a large swirl on each cooled cake. Decorate with chocolate sprinkles.
The cakes will keep for up to 3 days if stored in an airtight container.
Love Me, Hate Me Cupcakes
These dark cupcakes are dense, moist and chocolatey with the subtle hint of Guinness as a delicious undertone. They’re a definite favourite and a must-have for St Patrick’s Day celebrations. Decorate them with green glitter and icing or even little sugar shamrocks.
PREPARATION TIME: 30 MINUTES | BAKING TIME: 20 MINUTES | MAKES 12 CAKES
FOR THE CUPCAKES
250ML GUINNESS, OR OTHER STOUT
100G UNSALTED BUTTER, SOFTENED
100G CASTER SUGAR
100G LIGHT BROWN SUGAR
60G COCOA POWDER, SIFTED
4 EGGS
160G SELF-RAISING FLOUR, SIFTED
1 TEASPOON BICARBONATE OF SODA
80ML SOURED CREAM
2 TEASPOONS VANILLA BEAN PASTE
PINCH OF SALT
FOR THE CREAM CHEESE ICING
450G ICING SUGAR, SIFTED
70G UNSALTED BUTTER, SOFTENED
180G CREAM CHEESE
TO DECORATE
GREEN FOOD COLOURING
GREEN GLITTER / SUGAR SAND
GREEN SUGAR SHAMROCKS (AVAILABLE ONLINE)
EQUIPMENT: MIXER, 12 HOLE MUFFIN TIN LINED WITH MUFFIN CASES, PIPING BAG FITTED WITH LARGE STAR NOZZLE
Preheat the oven to 160°C/325°F/Gas Mark 3.
Start by pouring the stout into a large, wide saucepan and add the butter; heat until the butter’s melted.
Transfer the stout mixture to a mixer, add both sugars and cocoa powder and mix until well combined and creamy. Add the eggs and whisk again. Mix in the flour and bicarbonate of soda, soured cream, vanilla bean paste and salt. Continue to mix until all ingredients are combined and the batter has a smooth texture.
Divide the cake mixture between the cake cases and bake for 20 minutes until the cakes are firm to touch and a knife comes out clean with no cake batter on when inserted into the centre of one of the cakes. Transfer to a rack to cool.
For the icing, in a mixing bowl whisk together the icing sugar, butter and cream cheese until light and creamy. Add a few drops of green food colouring to make it a pale St Patrick’s green. Spoon the icing into a piping bag and pipe on top of the cooled cupcakes.
To decorate, sprinkle over some edible glitter, sugar sand, or you could even use some green sugar shamrocks.
The cakes will keep for up to 3 days if stored in an airtight container.
Chocolate Guinness® Cupcakes
People always look at me like I am a little bit crazy when I serve these cakes. For the really daring, give extra kick to the cake batter by adding finely chopped fresh red chilli too. The red glitter chillies on top always prove to be a good talking point – eat them only if you are brave enough! You can buy the chilli syrup online, from specialist suppliers, or make your own by steeping chillies in sugar syrup.
PREPARATION TIME: 25 MINUTES | BAKING TIME: 20 MINUTES | MAKES 12 CAKES
FOR THE CUPCAKES
100G UNSALTED BUTTER, SOFTENED
100G CASTER SUGAR
100G LIGHT BROWN SUGAR
4 EGGS
160G SELF-RAISING FLOUR, SIFTED
60G COCOA POWDER, SIFTED
1 TEASPOON BICARBONATE OF SODA
80ML SOURED CREAM
2 TEASPOONS VANILLA BEAN PASTE
4 TEASPOONS CAYENNE PEPPER
2 TABLESPOONS CHILLI SYRUP
A PINCH OF SALT
1–2 FINELY CHOPPED RED CHILLIES (OPTIONAL)
FOR THE BUTTERCREAM
300G ICING SUGAR, SIFTED
40G COCOA POWDER, SIFTED
150G UNSALTED BUTTER, SOFTENED
60ML MILK
1 TEASPOON CHILLI SYRUP
TO DECORATE
12 WHOLE CHILLIES
EDIBLE GLUE
RED EDIBLE GLITTER
EQUIPMENT: MIXER, 12-HOLE MUFFIN TIN LINED WITH MUFFIN CASES, PIPING BAG WITH STAR NOZZLE
Preheat the oven to 160°C/325°F/Gas Mark 3.
Using a mixer, whisk together the butter, caster sugar and light brown sugar until light and creamy. Add the eggs and whisk again. Fold in the flour, cocoa powder, bicarbonate of soda, soured cream, vanilla bean paste, cayenne pepper, chilli syrup, salt and finely chopped red chilli, if using.
Divide the cake mixture between the muffin cases and bake for 20 minutes, until the cakes are firm and spring back to your touch. Transfer to a rack to cool.
For the icing, whisk together the icing sugar, cocoa powder, butter, milk and chilli syrup to make a rich chocolate frosting. Pipe in a swirl over the top of each cake.
For the decoration, brush the chillies with edible glue and sprinkle them with edible glitter to make them sparkle before putting them on top of the cakes.
The cakes will keep for up to 3 days if stored in an airtight container.
Chocolate Jalapeño Cupcakes
