Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes

I have been wanting to bake something with peanut butter in for aaaaages, and have never got round to it, so today whilst I had nothing to do, obviously was the day!

This was an experiment really, I didn't know how they would come out or what I was aiming for, as long as they were edible I thought, but somehow they come out yummy! (yay)

Ingredients:
Makes 7-8 large cupcakes/muffins-

For the chocolate batter-

• 100g unsalted butter
• 100g light brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 100g self raising flour 
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 3 tbsp cocoa powder

For the peanut butter batter-

• 80g peanut butter - I used crunchy
• 40g icing sugar
• 40g self raising flour
• 2 tsp natural yoghurt - I don't even know why I added this, I was just hunting around in my fridge really, but it seemed to work haha!

• handful of chocolate chips for the topping

Preheat your oven to 180c and line a muffin tin with 8 cases.

In a large bowl cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

Add the eggs one at a time beating after each addition.

Sift in the flour, baking powder and cocoa powder and gently fold in.

In a separate medium bowl, add the peanut butter, icing sugar, flour and yoghurt and beat to combine.

Now to fill the muffin cases, put in a tablespoon of the chocolate mixture then top with a teaspoon of the peanut butter mixture, then top with a teaspoon of chocolate and another teaspoon of peanut butter. 

Then swirl together with a toothpick. (the cases should be three quarters full.)

Sprinkle on some chocolate chips on each, and place into the oven for 18-20 minutes.

Once baked leave to cool for a few minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack to cool completely. (Or like me, eat one warm, they're delicious!)

If you like you could also melt some chocolate to drizzle on top! 

Melting Moments

I simple adore the name of these little treats and its true they do melt in your mouth.
Lovely crumbly biscuits filled with jam and buttercream.

I came across the recipe for these on Edd Kimbers Blog, winner of the first series of the The Great British Bake Off (my favourite programme, I love it!.)

The recipe looked easy and the results delicious so I thought id give them a go. The only difference is I halved the recipe so it only makes 6 not 12, obviously double if you want more!

They came out light, crumbly, buttery and yummy.

Ingredients:
For the biscuits-

• 125g unsalted butter
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 125g plain flour
• 40g icing sugar
• 20g custard powder
• pinch of salt

For the filling-

• 50g unsalted butter
• 100g icing sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• dash of milk
• 6 tsp raspberry jam

Preheat your oven to 160c and line 2 baking trays with baking paper.

In a large bowl cream the butter with the vanilla until light and creamy.

Sift in all the dry ingredients, mix with a spoon to start with then finish with your hands to form a dough.

Take little balls of the dough, roll into balls with your hands and place 2 inches apart on the baking tray.

I weighed each one, like Edd, so they were all the same and they were 20g each.

Press down lightly on each with a floured fork.

Place both trays in the oven for 20-25 minutes.

They should be light golden in colour once baked.

Leave to cool for 5 minutes on the tray and then transfer them to a cooling rack to cool completely before filling.

For the filling, beat the butter until it is very light in colour then mix in the icing sugar, vanilla extract and milk.

Fill a piping bag with the buttercream and pipe around the edge of half the biscuits, then fill the middle with the teaspoon of jam. Then sandwich on the other biscuits and dust with icing sugar!

Raspberry Cheesecake With White Chocolate Ganache

In my last post I mentioned we had family visiting, so I (obviously) took it upon myself to make dessert.
You're welcome mum.

This is a no bake cheesecake filled with raspberries and topped with a divine white chocolate ganache. I love chocolate ganache...so delicious.

 Its great for frostings, fillings, toppings and drizzling's. (yes I know that's not a word.)

Edit: This was the best cheesecake I have made so you have definitely got to try it! (cue mmms and ahhs from fellow dinner guests and everyone asking for seconds.)

I only just managed to take photos of the cheesecake before my family was eyeing it up,so I do apologise for the poor quality! (once its been spotted, i'm afraid its devoured quickly in my house!)

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Ingredients:

For the cheesecake-

• 300g digestive biscuits
• 150g unsalted butter, melted
• 200ml double/whipping cream
• 500g full fat cream cheese - at room temperature 
• 4 tbsp icing sugar
• juice of half a lemon (the acidity thickens the cream cheese)
• 1 punnet fresh raspberries 

For the ganache-

• 150g white chocolate
• 80ml double cream

Put the biscuits in a zip lock bag and bash to crumbs with a rolling pin.

Pour into a medium bowl and mix in the melted butter. Coat well, it should look like wet sand.

Now pour the mixture into a spring form pan and place into the fridge.

In a large bowl, beat the cream until soft peaks form.

Add in the cream cheese, icing sugar and lemon juice and mix well.

Mix in the raspberries (save a few for decor) they will break up a bit and the mixture will look a bit pink, lovely.

Now pour onto of the biscuit base and place back into the fridge for an hour before doing the ganache.

For the ganache, break up the white chocolate and place into a medium bowl.

Pour cream into a saucepan on medium heat until it starts to bubble.

Now take of the heat and pour over the chocolate. Leave to sit for 5 minutes. Stir together.

If the chocolate still hasn't melted properly, put in the microwave for 30 second intervals until melted. (took mine 60 seconds to melt completely.)

Once melted and mixed together, leave to cool down for 15 minutes.

Now get the cheesecake out of the fridge and pour oven the ganache. 

Swirl the pan around so there's an even coating.

Place back into the fridge to set, at least 4 hours.

Take it out about 20 minutes before serving, and decorate with leftover raspberries!

Vanilla Cupcakes

This weekend we have family visiting, including two 7 year old boys. I wanted to make sure id bake something that I know they will like... vanilla cupcakes obviously! and decorated with sweets. What kid doesn't like sweets?

(Lets hope they arnt really fussy, otherwise im just going to have to eat them all - what a shame that would be ;)

Anyway, these are nothing snazzy just a plain vanilla cupcake with vanilla buttercream, simple but delicious.

Ingredients:

For the cupcakes (makes 6 large) -

• 110g unsalted butter
• 110g caster sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 110g self raising flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder

For the buttercream-

• 100g unsalted butter
• 200g icing sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla bean paste (or you could use vanilla extract)

Preheat your oven to 180c and line 6 muffin tray holes with cases.

In a large bowl cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

Add in the eggs one at a time, beating after each, and add the vanilla with the last.

Sieve in the flour and baking powder and gently fold in with a metal spoon.

Divide the batter between the cases and bake for 18-20 minutes.

Once baked leave to cool completely on a cooling rack.

To make the butter cream, in a medium bowl beat the butter with an electric whisk until it turns light in colour (this makes the best buttercream.)

Slowly add in the icing sugar by the tablespoon and add the vanilla extract. Mix well.

Spread onto each (cooled) cupcake and decorate with any sweets you like, I chose jelly tots!

Victoria Sponge

Victoria sponge is a classic, and probably featured in most baking blogs due to it being so damn delicious and simple.

I have memories from childhood of my nan baking one every year for my birthday, she would tint the sponge with food colouring so it was pink when I cut into it! (how thoughtful, bless her!)

So I thought it was about time I made one, but with a little twist. (Because I cant help it.)

I think of the traditional victoria sponge as having raspberry jam and/or buttercream or cream. For a little change I filled it with a delicious berries and cherries jam by Bonne Maman and this amazing two ingredient white chocolate buttercream, which I came across here on Cookies and Cups by Shelly - check out her blog if you haven't already, genius!

Ingredients:
For the cake-

• 180g unsalted butter
• 180g caster sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 180g self raising flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder

For the filling- 

• 4 tbsp jam (any you like!)
• 150g white chocolate
• 150g unsalted butter

Start with the buttercream as it needs to cool for at least 3 hours.

Melt together the butter and white chocolate, in a pan over a low heat, it will split but that's what its supposed to do!

Let it cool down slightly for 10 minutes and then pour into a medium bowl and place into the fridge.

Preheat your oven to 180c and grease and line two sandwich tins.

In a large bowl beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

Next add in the eggs one at a time and beat after each addition, with the last beat in the vanilla extract.

Sift in the flour and baking powder then gently fold in with a metal spoon until combined.

Divide the batter between the two sandwich tins and place into the oven for 18-20 minutes. 

Once baked leave to cool for a few minutes and then lift out onto a cooling rack to cool completely.

Take the buttercream out of the fridge at this point to warm up slightly.

Spread the jam on one half of the cake and then with a electric whisk, beat the buttercream until light and fluffy. Then spread onto the other half of the cake, sandwich together and sprinkle the top with icing sugar!

Chocolate Caramel Cupcakes

Yum, Yummy, yum.

That is what I think when I hear the pairing of chocolate and caramel. Just divine.
I had a pot of carnation caramel in my cupboard, so I thought what better way to use it up then cupcakes!
The caramel is not only in the frosting but also hidden inside the cupcake, what a great suprise?

The frosting itself is so creamy, from the addition of double cream and mascarpone, this is definately not one for an everyday snack, lets just say that!

Ingredients:
Makes 8-10 large cupcakes.

Cupcakes-

• 150g unsalted butter, softened
• 150g caster sugar
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 150g self raising flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 3 tbsp cocoa powder
• splash of milk

Frosting-

• 50ml double/whipping cream
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 tbsp mascarpone
• 4 tbsp icing/powdered sugar
• 2 tbsp caramel 
• 8-10 tsp of caramel for the centre

-A quick note, the frosting is slightly softer then usual buttercream so if you want a thicker one skip the mascarpone and double the butter.

Preheat your oven to 180c and line a muffin tin with cases.

In a large bowl cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy then beat in the eggs slowly with the vanilla extract.

Sift in the flour, baking powder and cocoa powder and a splash of milk, then gently fold in with a metal spoon until combined.

Divide the mixture into each muffin case (I made 10, but depends how large you make them.)

Then place into the oven for 15-18 minutes, mine took 15.

Once baked, take out of the oven and leave to cool for a few minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack to cool completely.

For the frosting, beat the cream until soft peaks form then add the rest of the ingredients, and slowly beat until combined. 

Now with a sharp knife cut a hole in the centre of each cupcake, keep the bit you cut out to place back on top.

Fill each hole with a teaspoon of caramel then place the 'lid' you cut off back on.

Then pipe or spread the frosting over the top! (I just decorated with a few chocolate shavings.)

Buttery Shortbread

The first time I ever made shortbread was awful. Really I do no know what I did but it was just awful (this was over a year ago when I first started trying my hand at baking and failed a lot haha) hence why I haven't attempted it since, even though it seems simple, until now.

To my avail it come out perfect! Light and buttery and just crumbly and delicious. So I decided to share my recipe with you.

Ingredients:

• 150g plain flour
• 80g icing sugar
• 125g unsalted butter
• 1 tbsp caster sugar

Preheat your oven to 170c and line a baking tin with greaseproof paper, I used a 20cm x 20cm tin.

In a large bowl mix together the flour and sugar, and then rub in the butter with your fingers until a dough forms. (it gets a bit sticky but its worth it!) 

Now the trick is to not over work it, so as soon as its turned into a dough press it into your prepared tin straight away and prick all over with a fork.

Place into the oven for 15 minutes, then lower the temperature to 150c and bake for another 10 minutes.

Keep an eye on it, you're after a nice light golden colour.

Once baked, take out of the oven and while its still hot, sprinkle over the caster sugar then leave to cool completely in the tin.

When its cool you can then take it out, tap off the excess sugar and cut it up!

Jam 'Doughnut' Muffins

I had heard of doughnut style muffins or 'duffins' for a while now and thought they sounded absolutely delicious, so when I came across this recipe for 'Nutella Stuffed Cinnamon Sugar Muffins' by Sally on 'Sallys Baking Addiction' (if you haven't already, you must check out her blog!) I thought I must have a go!

Instead of filling them with nutella though, I decided on strawberry jam, as jam doughnuts are my fav!
I also tweaked the recipe a bit to fit what ingredients I had, measurements and what not, but they still came out yummy!

Ingredients:
Makes 8.
For the muffins-

• 75g unsalted butter, softened
• 100g caster sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 120ml milk (I used semi-skimmed)
• 190g plain flour
• 1 and a half tsp baking powder
• pinch salt
• 8 tsp strawberry (or your choice) jam

For the topping-

• 1 tbsp unsalted butter
• 3 tbsp caster sugar

Preheat your oven to 200c and grease a muffin tin.
In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar, then beat in the egg, vanilla extract and milk.
Gently fold in the flour, baking powder and salt until just combined.

Fill 8 muffin holes with a tablespoon of batter, then top each with a teaspoon of jam. Then add another tablespoon of batter on top of that.
Now place into the oven for 10 minutes, after 10 reduce the heat to 180c, then bake for another 8-10 minutes.

Once baked, leave to cool for a few minutes whilst you melt the butter for the topping.
Put the caster sugar in a bowl and using a pastry brush, brush the tops of the muffins with the melted butter.
Then dip each muffin into the sugar so they're nicely coated, just like a doughnut!