Gluten-free Amaretto Sour cupcakes

Ingredients


Cupcake batter

100g of unsalted butter, softened

100g of caster sugar

2 large eggs

50g of ground almonds

50g of rice flour

1 tsp baking powder

2 lemons, zest only

60g of sour cherries, 1 packet

2 tbsp of Amaretto

Amaretto icing

75g of unsalted butter

25g of cream cheese

150g of icing sugar

Amaretto, a generous splash

To garnish

glacé cherries, optional

Instructions

           

Begin by soaking the sour cherries. Add the sour cherries and Amaretto to a small bowl and soak for 20 minutes. Squeeze out the excess Amaretto from the cherries and reserve for later

                           

Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas mark 4 and line a 12 hole muffin tray with cupcake cases

                           

Place the butter, sugar, eggs, almonds, rice flour and baking powder in a large mixing bowl and whisk with an electric hand whisk until light and fluffy

                           

Whisk in the reserved amaretto cherry liquid to slightly slacken the mixture, before folding in the cherries and lemon zest

                           

Spoon the mixture into the cupcake cases, two thirds full, and bake for 20 minutes, or until an inserted skewer comes out clean. Leave to cool completely on a wire rack

                           

To make the icing, simply beat the butter and cream cheese together until soft and sift over half of the icing sugar. Whisk together until fully combined, before sifting over the remaining icing sugar

                           

Whisk in the amaretto, then give it a taste, adding more booze if necessary. Use a palette knife to smooth the icing over the tops of each cake before topping each one with a cherry

Mini rose cupcakes

Ingredients


Cupcakes

2 large eggs

3 tsp rose water, or 4 for a stronger taste

115g of caster sugar

115g of unsalted butter, soft

115g of self-raising flour

For the icing

250g of icing sugar, sifted

80g of unsalted butter, soft

1 tbsp of milk, at room temperature

1 tbsp of rose water, at room temperature

pink food colouring

hundreds and thousands

Instructions       

Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas mark 4 and line the mini muffin tin with cases. Set aside

     

Lightly beat the eggs and rose water together in a large mixing bowl and then add the sugar

                           

Whisk the mixture together using the handheld whisk or a free-standing mixer until it is light and fluffy. Add the soft butter a dollop at a time while beating continuously

                           

Once the butter is all incorporated, sift in the flour and fold it in carefully until you have a smooth batter

                           

Divide the mixture between the 24 cases and bake for about 10-15 minutes until the cakes are golden brown. Take them out of the oven and leave to cool completely

                           

While the cakes are baking, place all of the icing ingredients into a large bowl and beat together until light and fluffy

                           

Pipe or dollop the icing over the cakes and decorate with hundreds and thousands

http://www.greatbritishchefs.com/recipes/mini-rose-cupcake-recipe

Rosewater pistachio cupcakes with mascarpone cream frosting

Ingredients

Rosewater pistachio cupcakes
50g of pistachio nuts

60g of ground almonds

25g of plain flour

1/2 tsp. baking powder

100g of butter, at room temperature

100g of caster sugar

2 small eggs

2 tbsp of milk

2 tsp rose water

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Mascarpone cream frosting

100ml of double cream, cold

250g of mascarpone, at room temperature

2 tbsp of icing sugar

1 dash of vanilla extract

red food colouring, optional 

 

Instructions           

Preheat the oven to 175°C/gas mark 4. Line an 8-hole cupcake pan with paper liners

                            

First, make the cupcakes. Grind together the pistachio nuts, almonds and plain flour in a spice grinder or mill. Make sure you don’t over grind it, or the mixture will go from powdery to lumpy

                           

Add the baking powder to the ground nut mix and keep aside

                           

Beat together the butter and caster sugar in a mixing bowl until light and fluffy. You can do this using a hand mixer, or the paddle attachment of a free standing mixer

                           

Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition, followed by the milk. Add the rose water and vanilla and mix well to combine

                           

Finally, fold in the ground nut and flour mix until smooth and incorporated. Pour into the cupcake cases (until about 3/4 full) and bake for about 20-25 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cupcakes comes out clean

                           

Remove from the oven and leave to cool completely on a cooling rack while you prepare the frosting

                           

Whisk the double cream in a large mixing bowl using the whisk attachment or a hand whisk, until stiff peaks form. Do not over-mix, or the cream will split

                           

In a separate bowl, mix the mascarpone cheese and icing sugar slowly until well combined

                           

Add this into the whipped cream, followed by the vanilla and a couple of drops of food colouring - be very sparing with the colouring, adding a drop at a time until you reach the correct shade. Continue whisking on a low speed until well-combined

                           

Transfer into a piping bag and once the cupcakes are completely cool, pipe the frosting on top. Store in the refrigerator until ready to use

Equipment

1M or 2D star tip : piping bag : buttercream : cupcakes : decorations

 

 

 

This website has a good thorough explanation on how to pipe a rose http://bellacupcakes.blogspot.com.au/2011/02/rose-swirl.html

Orange coconut sago with lychees and passionfruit

Ingredients
1 cup (200g) tapioca pearls
400g can coconut milk
1 teaspoon finely grated orange rind
1 cup (250ml) water
1/2 cup (80g) finely chopped palm sugar
565g can lychees in syrup, drained
4 large passionfruit, halved


Instructions
Place the tapioca in a large bowl and cover with cold water. Set aside for 2 hours to soak. Strain through a fine sieve. Cook in a large saucepan of boiling water for 10 minutes or until opaque. Drain well.
Meanwhile, combine the coconut milk, orange rind and 1/2 cup of sugar in a large saucepan over low heat. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until sugar dissolves and mixture is heated through. Add the tapioca and gently stir to combine. Remove from heat and set aside to cool slightly.
Combine lychees, passionfruit and remaining sugar in a bowl.
Spoon sago into serving bowls. Top with lychee mixture. Serve.

Ultimate sticky toffee pudding

Ingredients
175g boiling water
1 tsp. vanilla extract
175g self raising flour, plus extra for greasing
1 tsp. bicarbonate of soda
2 egg
85g butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
140g Demerara sugar
2 tbsp. black treacle/molasses
100ml milk
cream or custard to serve optional


Instructions
Stone and chop the dates quite small, put them in a bowl, then pour the boiling water over. Leave for about 30 mins until cool and well-soaked, then mash a bit with a fork. Stir in the vanilla extract. Butter and flour seven mini pudding tins (each about 200ml/7fl oz) and sit them on a baking sheet. Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4.
While the dates are soaking, make the puddings. Mix the flour and bicarbonate of soda together and beat the eggs in a separate bowl. Beat the butter and sugar together in a large bowl for a few mins until slightly creamy (the mixture will be grainy from the sugar). Add the eggs a little at a time, beating well between additions. Beat in the black treacle then, using a large metal spoon, gently fold in one-third of the flour, then half the milk, being careful not to overbeat. Repeat until all the flour and milk is used. Stir the soaked dates into the pudding batter. The mix may look a little curdled at this point and will be like a soft, thick batter. Spoon it evenly between the tins and bake for 20-25 mins, until risen and firm
Remove the puddings from the oven. Leave in the tins for a few mins, then loosen them well from the sides of the tins with a small palette knife before turning them out. You can serve them now with the sauce drizzled over, but they’ll be even stickier if left for a day or two coated in the sauce. To do this, pour about half the sauce into one or two ovenproof serving dishes. Sit the upturned puddings on the sauce, then pour the rest of the sauce over them. Cover with a loose tent of foil so that the sauce doesn’t smudge (no need to chill).


Toffee sauce
175g light muscovado sugar
50g butter, cut into pieces
225ml double cream
1 tbsp. black treacle/molasses


Instructions
Put the sugar and butter for the sauce in a medium saucepan with half the cream. Bring to the boil over a medium heat, stirring all the time, until the sugar has completely dissolved. Stir in the black treacle, turn up the heat slightly and let the mixture bubble away for 2-3 mins until it is a rich toffee colour, stirring occasionally to make sure it doesn’t burn. Take the pan off the heat and beat in the rest of the cream.


When ready to serve, heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Warm the puddings through, still covered, for 15-20 mins or until the sauce is bubbling. Serve them on their own, or with cream or custard.

Buttercream Recipes for pipping and icing

Crusting No-Melt Vanilla Buttercream

http://thymebombe.com/2012/06/22/crusting-no-melt-buttercream-of-my-dreams-and-my-favorite-vanilla-cake/

Ingredients

• 2 sticks (226 grams) room temperature unsalted butter
• 12 oz. (340 grams) unflavored vegetable shortening
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp. milk or cream
• 2 lbs. (32oz., 907 grams) powdered confectioner's sugar

Cooking Directions

1. Beat together butter and shortening until pale and glossy.
2. Add salt and vanilla and mix in.
3. Add in powdered sugar a little at a time on low speed, beating on a higher speed between each addition to fully incorporate.
4. Add milk and mix on low, then beat on high until frosting is pale and fluffy.
5. Store covered in the refrigerator and allow to come to room temperature again before using.

Perfect Piping

http://www.thecreativebite.com/perfect-piping-buttercream-recipe/

Perfect Piping Buttercream is the absolute best recipe for frosting cakes and cookies with a great consistency just right for piping your beautiful designs. This luscious buttercream frosting is light and airy with added flavor from vanilla and almond extract.

Serves: 5-6 cups

Ingredients

• 1 c. shortening (butter flavored)
• 1 c. butter
• 1½ tsp. vanilla extract
• ½ tsp. almond extract
• 7½ c. powdered sugar
• ⅓ c. heavy whipping cream
• gel or paste icing dyes

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, beat the shortening and butter until smooth and fluffy. Add the vanilla, almond extract and cream and mix until smooth.
2. Add the powdered sugar 1-2 cups at a time, mixing well between each addition. Beat the frosting for an additional 4-5 minutes until light and fluffy.
3. Using a toothpick, add the tiniest amount of dye at a time to the bowl of frosting to control your color. These dyes will color the frosting quickly, so there is no need to add too much.

lemon yoghurt cake recipes for fondant decoration

lemon yoghurt cake

https://www.donnahay.com.au/recipes/desserts-and-baking/lemon-and-yoghurt-cake

Ingredients

• ¾ cup (180ml) vegetable oil
• 2 eggs
• 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon rind
• ¼ cup (60ml) lemon juice
• 1 cup (280g) plain Greek-style (thick) yoghurt, or goat's milk yoghurt
• 1¾ cups (385g) caster (superfine) sugar
• 2 cups (300g) self raising (self-rising) flour
• 2 tablespoons thyme leaves

lemon icing

• 1 cup (160g) icing (confectioner’s) sugar, sifted
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• ½ tablespoon boiling water

Preparation      

Preheat oven to 160ºC (325ºF). Place the oil, eggs, lemon rind, lemon juice, yoghurt and sugar in a large bowl and whisk to combine. Sift over the flour and stir until smooth. Pour into a well greased 24cm non-stick Bundt tin and bake for 50–55 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Allow the cake to stand in the tin for 5 minutes. To make the lemon icing, mix to combine the sugar, lemon juice and boiling water. Carefully turn the cake out onto a cake stand and spoon over the icing while the cake is still hot. Sprinkle with thyme leaves and allow to set for 10 minutes before serving. Serves 10–12.

French Yogurt Cake

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/french-yogurt-cake-395471

Ingredients

• nonstick vegetable oil spray
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
• 3/4 cup whole-milk Greek yogurt
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°F(176'c). Coat a standard (8 1/2x4 1/4") loaf pan with non-stick vegetable oil spray. Dust with flour; tap out excess. Whisk 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, and 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt in a medium bowl. Using your fingers, rub 1 cup sugar with 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest in a large bowl until sugar is moist. Add 3/4 cup whole-milk Greek yogurt, 1/2 cup vegetable oil, 2 large eggs, and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract; whisk to blend. Fold in dry ingredients just to blend. Pour batter into prepared pan; smooth top. Bake until top of cake is golden brown and a tester inserted into center comes out clean, 50-55 minutes. Let cake cool in pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Invert onto rack; let cool completely. DO AHEAD: Can be made 3 days ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.