Apple & Cinnamon

Makes 12

275g Plain Flour
1 level tablespoon Baking powder
1/2 tsp Salt
2 Eggs
75g Caster sugar
225ml milk
110g Butter, melted, cooled slightly
200g Cooking Apples, chopped with skin on
1 tsp Cinnamon
4 tbs Demerara sugar combined with 1 tsp Cinnamon (for the topping)

Preheat oven to Gas mark 6, 400F 200C, and prepare muffin tin by lining with cases.

Take a large bowl and sift in the flour, baking powder and the salt. Then add chopped apples and cinnamon

Then in a separate bowl, mix together the eggs, sugar, milk, and melted butter

Add the wet liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients and fold in quickly. Over mixing makes muffins heavy.

Divide mixture into prepared muffin tin, filling each case about 3/4 full and sprinkle on the topping.

Bake on a high shelf in the oven for 20-25 minutes, or until they are well risen and brown.

Pear & Almond

Makes 12

275g Plain Flour
1 level tablespoon Baking powder
1/2 tsp Salt
2 Eggs
75g Caster sugar
225ml milk
110g Butter, melted, cooled slightly
2 Pears, finely chopped with skin on
4 tbs Ground Almonds
! tsp Almond Essence

Preheat oven to Gas mark 6, 400F 200C, and prepare muffin tin by lining with cases.

Take a large bowl and sift in the flour, baking powder, and the salt. Add chopped pears, ground almonds and almond essence.


Then in a separate bowl, mix together the eggs, sugar, milk, and melted butter

Add the wet liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients and fold in quickly. Over mixing makes muffins heavy.

Divide mixture into prepared muffin tin, filling each case about 3/4 full.

Bake on a high shelf in the oven for 20-25 minutes, or until they are well risen and brown.

Amaretto Muffins

Makes 12


275g Plain Flour
1 Level Tablespoon Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Salt
75 ml Amaretto
150ml Milk
110g Melted Butter, cooled slightly



Preheat oven to Gas mark 6, 400F 200C, and prepare muffin tin by lining with cases.

Take a large bowl and sift in the flour, baking powder and the salt. 


Then in a separate bowl, mix together the eggs, sugar, milk, amaretto and melted butter

Add the wet liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients and fold in quickly. Over mixing makes muffins heavy.

Divide mixture into prepared muffin tin, filling each case about 3/4 full.

Bake on a high shelf in the oven for 20-25 minutes, or until they are well risen and brown.

Cup cakes

I decided over the weekend that I wanted to try experimenting with different cup cakes recipes and icing designs, so will be adding these on to this blog too, along with photos.

My first design had to be hockey related, seeing as my team had come 2nd in the league for the first time for years, so a big celebration for us.


Basic Cup Cake Recipe

Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 20 min
Serves: Makes 12 large cupcakes or 24 small


Ingredients

• 150 g butter, softened
• 150 g sugar
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 150 g self-raising flour, sifted
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp milk

For the frosting:

• 75 g butter at room temperature
• 150 g icing sugar
• 1 tbsp milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• a selection of food colouring, choose your favourite colours

To decorate:

• crystallised flower petals, (optional), See Cook's note
• sprinkles, (optional)
• silver balls, (optional)
• hundreds and thousands, (optional)
• sweets, (optional)

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/160C fan/ gas 4.

2. Cream together the butter and sugar until light, fluffy and pale.

3. Gradually mix in the beaten egg alternating with the flour to stop the mix from curdling. Finally, stir through the vanilla extract and milk.

4. Place 12 paper cupcake cases into a muffin tin and divide the mixture between them.

5. Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden and springy to the touch. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack.

6. For the frosting: In a mixing bowl beat the butter with a spoon or spatular until smooth, then start to sift in the icing sugar, stirring regularly. Add the vanilla extract and milk. The frosting should be light and creamy.

7. Mix your chosen food colouring colours into the icing to give an even colour.

8. Once the cupcakes are totally cool, spoon or pipe the icing onto your cupcakes and finish with your chosen decorations. Then allow to set for at least 30 minutes.

 









Rocky Road Muffins

Makes 12

275g Plain Flour
1 level tablespoon Baking powder
1/2 tsp Salt
2 Eggs
75g Soft Brown Sugar
225ml milk
110g Butter, melted, cooled slightly
4 level tablespoons cocoa powder
40g Mini marshmallows
100g Chocolate chips
60g glace cherries, chopped
40g Chopped pecan's, roughly chopped
40g Brazil nuts, roughly chopped

Preheat oven to Gas mark 6, 400F 200C, and prepare muffin tin by lining with cases.

Take a large bowl and sift in the flour, baking powder, cocoa powder and the salt. Then add in half of the marshmallows, chocolate chips, glace cherries, and chopped pecan and brazil nuts.


Then in a separate bowl, mix together the eggs, sugar, milk, and melted butter

Add the wet liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients and fold in quickly. Over mixing makes muffins heavy.

Divide mixture into prepared muffin tin, filling each case about 3/4 full.

In a seperate bowl mix the remaining half of marshmallows, chocolate chips, glace cherries, and chopped pecan and brazil nuts together, then sprinkle on to the muffins

Bake on a high shelf in the oven for 20-25 minutes, or until they are well risen and brown.

Peanut Butter & Banana Muffins

Makes 12

Preparation time: 30 minutes

200g self raising flour

25g oats

75g light brown muscovado sugar

3 medium ripe bananas

100g crunchy peanut butter

2 medium eggs, lightly beaten

25g melted butter

125ml semi skimmed milk

1 Preheat the oven to 200oC, gas mark 6. Line a 12 hole muffin tin with muffin cases.

2 Sift the flour into a large bowl and mix in the oats and sugar. 

3 In a separate bowl mash the banana and mix in the peanut butter, eggs, butter and milk. Stir into the flour mixture.

4 Spoon into the muffin cases and bake for 20 minutes or until golden.  Cool on a wire rack.

Blueberry Muffins

These light, golden muffins are very easy to make and bake - you could easily knock up a batch for a weekend breakfast or brunch. Serve them still slightly warm - they don't keep well.

Makes:12

• 150g (5oz) fresh or dried blueberries
• 100g (4oz) caster sugar
• 100g (4oz) butter
• 300g (11oz) self-raising flour
• 1tsp baking powder
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 1tsp vanilla extract
• 140ml (¼ pint) milk

Method

1. Line a muffin tray with paper muffin cases.
2. Cream the butter and sugar until fluffy then add in the eggs, one at a time.
3. Add the milk and vanilla extract then fold in the flour and baking powder to make a thick batter.
4. Add the blueberries and spoon the mixture into the muffin cases. Bake for 30 mins at 160°C (325°F or gas mark 3).
5. Leave the blueberry muffins to cool in the tray for 10 mins before turning out.