Banoffee Cupcakes

Banoffee pie is one of my favourite desserts, banana and caramel together is just so damn good.

It is also a very easy dessert and as I didn't want to post a recipe so simple,  I made it into cupcakes!

These cupcakes are amazing, really, my mum (who is extremely picky) just could not express how good they were after her first bite and the cupcake was gone in a second.

Banana cake topped with a caramel frosting, banana chips, grated chocolate and drizzled with even more caramel. You can never have enough caramel, am I right?

Ingredients:
(makes 12)

For the cakes-
-200g unsalted butter
-200g caster sugar
-3 large eggs, beaten
-1 banana, mashed
-200g self raising flour

For the topping-
-200g unsalted butter
-350g icing sugar
-3 tbsp caramel (I used the carnation brand)
-2 tbsp full fat cream cheese
-1 tsp vanilla extract

-banana chips
-grated chocolate
-1 tbsp caramel

Preheat your oven to 180c, and fill a muffin tray with 12 cupcake cases.

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

Gradually beat in the eggs until combined. Add the mashed banana and mix.

Sift over the flour and fold in gently with a large metal spoon.

Divide between the 12 cases, then place into the oven for 20-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Once baked, place them on a cooling rack to cool completely before icing.

For the frosting, beat the butter until light in colour, gradually add the icing sugar, caramel, cream cheese and vanilla until a thick but spreadable consistency.

Pipe or spread on the top of each cooled cupcakes.
Top with a couple of banana chips, sprinkle over the chocolate and drizzle over the caramel.
(To loosen the caramel pop into the microwave for 30 seconds.)

Enjoy!

Chocolate Zombie Cupcakes

My boyfriend and I have become obsessed with The Walking Dead.
We kinda got on the bandwagon late but instantly we were hooked.

We also now just seem to be obsessed with zombies, anything zombie makes us excited, so I couldn't wait to bake these cupcakes!

Moist chocolate sponge topped with chocolate buttercream, grated chocolate 'dirt', a fondant zombie hand and drizzled blackcurrant 'blood'.

Ingredients:
Makes 12 large cupcakes

Cupcakes-
-180g unsalted butter
-180g light brown sugar
-3 large eggs,beaten
-4 tbsp cocoa powder
-180g self raising flour
-1tbsp golden syrup
-1tbsp milk

Decoration-
-250g unsalted butter
-500g icing sugar
-1tbsp golden syrup
-150g milk chocolate, melted
-50g chocolate grated
-green fondant
-1tbsp blackcurrant jam

Preheat your oven to 180c and line 12 muffin  holes with cases.

In a large bowl cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Gradually beat in the eggs.

Sift over the cocoa powder, add the golden syrup and mix together.
Sift over the flour and the dash of milk then fold in gently with a large metal spoon.

Divide between your cases then place into the oven for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Once baked, leave to cool completely on a cooling rack before decorating.

For the buttercream, beat the butter until pale in colour. Gradually beat in the icing sugar, golden syrup and melted chocolate until a spreadable, but thick consistency. Spread over each cupcake to cover.
Grate the 80g chocolate into a bowl then dip each cupcake in to cover for the 'dirt'.

To make the zombie hands I rolled a ball of fondant into a tear drop shape. On the large end, with a knife, I cut in to make 5 'fingers' then rolled each piece into a finger shape. Push a hand into the top of each cupcake.
Heat the blackcurrant jam in the microwave for 10-20 seconds to loosen, then drizzle over each cupcake.

Zombie and chocolate fix sorted!