Monthly Archives: May 2014

Eat vegetables the fun way- Butternut Squash Cupcakes

25 Sunday May 2014

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Butternut Squash cupcake

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Butternut Squash cupcakes

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When I told people these cupcakes were made using butternut squash as the main ingredient I received some pretty mixed responses. But seriously these are incredibly delicious and can even count towards one of your five a day (don’t quote me on that). I made them last week for a friends birthday and they went down a treat. The recipe does call them pumpkin cupcakes and pumpkin would’ve been my first choice, however as it’s May and my local supermarket had limited supplies I opted for butternut squash instead. Having tried courgette and beetroot cakes I’m not surprised that vegetables are being used more and more in cakes. They add sweetness and make the texture lovely and soft.

The prep time for these cakes suggests 15 minutes but I would change that to 40. I don’t know about you but a butternut squash for me takes 15 mins alone to cut up never mind grating too. Once you’ve got that out of the way however the rest is quite a doodle.

I doubled the recipe as I wanted to make 24 cakes. Thankfully this worked out with no problems, however in the past I have had cases where I’ve doubled the recipe and it just hasn’t gone to plan. I used more icing sugar for the toppings than the recipe said which made them slightly sweeter.

Here’s the recipe:

Ingredients

  • 175ml sunflower oil
  • 175g light muscovado sugar
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 200g coarsely grated pumpkin or butternut squash flesh
  • 100g sultanas
  • grated zest 1 orange
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 200g self-raising flour
  • 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

For the frosting

  • 200g tub full-fat cream cheese
  • 120g icing sugar

093 (1024x683) (2)Method

1. Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Line a 12-hole muffin tray with paper cases. Pour the oil into a large bowl and add the sugar, eggs and vanilla. Beat together, then add the grated butternut squash, sultanas and orange zest.

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    Butternut Squash

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103 (1024x683) (2)2. Stir in the cinnamon, flour and bicarbonate of soda, the mixture will be quite wet. Spoon into the cases.111 (1024x683) (2)3. Bake for 25 mins until firm and springy to the touch and a skewer inserted in the centre of a cupcake comes out clean. Cool completely on a wire rack. At this stage you can freeze the cakes for 4 months.118 (1024x683)116 (1024x683)4. To make the frosting, beat the cream cheese and sugar together until smooth then spread on top of the cupcakes. Store in the fridge, but return to room temperature to serve for the best flavour and texture.

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Easy to make and a tasty way of incorporating vegetables into your diet, why not give them a try and see what you think.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Easter Celebration Cakes for Cake Club’s first Birthday!

12 Monday May 2014

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089 (1024x683) Easter Celebration Cake
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Chocolate Easter Cake

Last Monday was Easter celebration theme for Clandestine Cake Club. This was to mark not only Easter just happening but to mark Camden’s first year as a club! Since 12 months ago the club has gone from having only 3 members to over fifteen!

It was a smaller turn out this time as there were upcoming holidays and a certain wedding dress to be fitted into. Also it did fall very close to Easter so perhaps some couldn’t deal with eating more sweet things so soon after.

Despite this there was still a good turn out and some varied and delicious cakes to try. We met at a lovely little pub just near Mornington Crescent called Simmons. I have walked past it hundreds of times and never noticed it but it is situated on the corner and serves wine for the bargain price of £2.50 and tasty wine at that! It also is a lot bigger than it looks and even has an old school nintendo where you can come and play mario supercars.

I wasn’t sure what to bake this time round so opted for a cake that was actually called Easter Celebration Cake (very apt) which was featured in Woman and Home Magazine. I loved the look of the cake as soon as I saw it with its four layers however I do tend to make chocolate cakes a bit too often so was a little undecided. The good thing about this cake it that although it looks extremely chocolately it is a vanilla sponge with hints of orange and almond which make it not too indulgent but give a lightness to it.

Here’s how it’s made:

Ingredients

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  • 350g (12oz) unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 350g (12oz) golden caster sugar
  • 6 large free-range eggs, beaten
  • 400g (14oz) self-raising flour, sifted
  • 100g (4oz) ground almonds
  • juice and grated zest 2 oranges

for the chocolate fudge filling

  • 250g (9oz) plain dark chocolate
  • 100g (4oz) butter
  • juice 1 orange
  • 3 free-range egg yolks
  • 250g (9oz) icing sugar

for the topping

  • 300ml (½pt) double cream
  • 3tbsp caster sugar
  • 200g (7oz) dark chocolate, finely chopped
  • chocolate eggs, to decorate

you will need:

  • 2 x 23cm (9in) round cake tins, lightly oiled and bottom-lined with baking parchment

PREPARATION

  1. Heat the oven to 170 C, 150 C fan, 325 F, gas 3. Cream the butter and sugar together, until pale.006 (1024x683) - Copy
  2. Mix in the eggs, then fold in the flour, almonds, orange zest and juice.015 (1024x683) - Copy008 (1024x683) - Copy
  3. Spoon the mixture into the cake tins and bake for 45 minutes, until risen and firm. Remove from tins and cool on a wire rack.022 (1024x683) - Copy
  4. Meanwhile, make the fudge filling. Melt the chocolate and butter, and mix with the orange juice. Cool for 5 minutes, then whisk in the egg yolks and icing sugar in batches.031 (1024x683) - Copy020 (1024x683) - Copy
  5. For the topping, heat the cream and sugar in a pan until steaming. Pour over the chopped chocolate in a bowl, and stir to combine. Cool for 10 to 15 minutes.039 (1024x683) - Copy
  6. When the cakes are cool, cut both in half horizontally. Spread one cake layer with a third of the filling, top with another layer of cake and spread with a second third of the mixture. Add a third layer, spread with the rest of the filling, and top with the final layer.029 (1024x683) - Copy
  7. 034 (1024x683) - CopyWhen the topping is cool, apply it to the cake with a palette knife. Pile the chocolate eggs in the middle and serve. The cake will keep for up to 3 days in the fridge.

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Easter Chocolate Cake

The sponge was very simple to make. The only thing I did wrong was not level out my mixture as best as I could so when the sponge was baked they were very lopsided! I tried to rectify this when cutting the layers but it still turned out pretty wonky!

Thankfully the cake went down well at the club and was a pleasant surprise to Jelena as she wasn’t expecting the orange flavour. I liked it but as I made it on Saturday, by Monday I felt that the sponge had got a bit dry so in future I will try and keep it in a better airtight tin.

Debs made an Easter battenberg cake which despite my dislike of marzipan I still managed to scoff the whole slice. Jelena’s creamy caramel cake was melt in your mouth delicious. Beautifully presented too it was easy enough to keep coming back for more. I also loved Mel’s cake as it contained two of my favourite ingredients, banana and coconut. She also only baked it a few hours before the event so the sponge was still soft and moist.

Our next cake club theme is Eurovision which should be pretty fun! I better start thinking what to make, something cheesy I suppose!

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