Cup Cakes

Cup cakes seem to be very popular at the moment, people use them for wedding cakes (no cutting needed!) and the amount of fun toppings make cup cakes nearly endless in the things you can do with them.

Originally I had planned to make red velvet cup cakes for the Eurovision party I was going to but in the end I purchased some M&S cookies to take with me. When it came to using up some of the baking ingredients I wanted to make them for work only to discover I didn't actually have any red food coloring. In the end I went with chocolate cup cakes with cream cheese icing!

Chocolate Cup Cakes

½ cup plus 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1¼ cups hot water
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2¼ cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
¾ cup butter
1 cup sugar
¾ cup light brown sugar
3 large eggs

Preheat oven to 350F

Cream butter and sugars till fluffy. Add in eggs and vanilla alternate between mixing in flour/baking powder and hot water until well mixed.

In cupcake tin put in liners and fill these 3/4 full with mix.

Bake at 350F 15 minutes. Once cool put on icing.


Cream Cheese Icing

8 container of cream cheese
6 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups icing(powdered) sugar

Put ingredients into a high sided bowl, use a mixer to mix properly. Spread onto cooled cup cakes and enjoy!

Condiments

One thing that has been bothering me lately. Have you ever noticed that on Ketchup bottles it always says Tomato Ketchup. I've been wondering if there is any other kind. I've never seen anything in a store to tell me there are other kinds of Ketchup's so why bother to put the word Tomato in at all?



Well a little research and I discovered this site Unusual Ketchup's apparently there is an apple ketchup...

A little further thinking made me wonder at Pickle Relish, I'd never known another type of relish until now. I've got two words for you Branston Pickle. It's made from a variety of diced vegetables, including swede, carrots, onions, cauliflower and gherkins pickled in a sauce made from vinegar, tomato, apple and dates with spices such as mustard, coriander, garlic, cinnamon, pepper, cloves, nutmeg and cayenne pepper with sugar.

I've just started using this on cheese sandwiches and it's all sorts of awesome! If you can find some I highly recommend.




I also find it strange that people get funny about what condiments you use. My Dad would have a fit if I put Tomato Ketchup on a hot dog. I could put mustard and pickle relish but no ketchup! I never really understood that at all. I've had mayo with fries/chips but would never put vinegar on them.

I guess it depends on what you like ;)

Summer Treats

Summer is nearly here! We've had a few really nice weekends recently (highly unusual) so in light of that I thought I'd post a few summer treat recipes up one from each side of the family or inspired by.

My Nana does an truely awesome lemon meringue pie, I've never quite mastered it so I had to find my own recipe until I finally get her recipe perfect.

Easy Lemon Meringue Pie


1 single 10 inch pie crust already made (you can buy pastry mix and blind bake this - meaning without filling for about 15 minutes at 200C, graham cracker works too for crust or crushed hob nobs)



Filling
4 cans condensed milk
1 cup lemon juice
6 egg yokes

Meringue
6 egg whites
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
1/2 cup sugar

For filling, mix ingredients and pour into prepared pie crust.

For meringue in a high sided bowl mix ingredients with a mixer on high for about 4 minutes or until stiff peaks form.

Using a spatual spoon meringue onto pie filling closing all the edges. For peaks take back of spoon and press gentley onto meringue top and pull away to make pretty peaks!

Bake at 200C for about 5 to 7 minutes or until the top is a little brown.

My Grandfather has passed down to me his chocolate chip cookie recipe which I am very known for. These cookies have been given out at conventions, as Christmas presents and are always enjoyed! Somedays like today I get a little lazy and don't feel like making the cookies, so I make these into bars instead.

Chocolate Chip Cookies (or Bars)

1 cup butter
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
1 tsp baking soda
2 1/4 cup plain flour
1 12oz pack of chocolate chips (or chop up a large dairy milk bar)

Preheat oven to 375F or gas mark 5

Mix butter & sugars until creamy. Add in eggs and vanilla until mixed. Add in baking powder and flour mix until all the flour is mixed in.

Add chocolate.

If you are going for cookies, you'll need teaspoons to dole these out onto cookie sheets. They make about 48 cookies. Bake at 375F for 8 minutes.

If you are doing bars lighly grease a 13x8 baking pan, press cookie mixture into pan and bake for about 30 - 40 minutes.

Saying Goodbye The Right Way

Nikki had her last day at my work today, so earlier in the week I had asked her if she wanted me to bake anything for her as we both share a sweet tooth bigger than Texas. She asked for something chocolate and gooey.

About 4 hours later I had the perfect thing.

Hot Fudge Pudding Cake


1 1/4 cup sugar (divided)
1 cup flour (plain)
7 tbs cocoa powder (divided)
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup milk
1/3 cup melted butter
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 1/4 cup boiling hot water

Preheat oven to 350F

Combine 3/4 cup sugar, flour, 3 tbs cocoa powder and baking powder in bowl. Mix in milk, melted butter and vanilla. Pour into ungreased 8x8 baking dish (make sure this dish has high sides to avoid spillage). In a smaller bowl, combine, 1/2 cup sugar, brown sugar and remaining cocoa powder. Sprinkle over top of previous mixture in baking dish.

Pour hot water into baking dish - DO NOT STIR

Bake at 350 for roughly 40 minutes.

This should come out with cake on top and chocolate goo on the bottom. Serve hot or at room temp. You can put ice cream or cream on this as well. It's really an amazingly easy and yummy cake!

Snicker Whats?

Snickerdoodles.

Its a type of cookie (biscuit for the English). Basically if you like cinnamon and sugar you will enjoy these light and lovely cookies. They are also a great way to use up that one last egg in the fridge.

Snickerdoodles




1/2 cup butter
1 cup of sugar
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cup plain flour

also 4 tbs sugar and 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Mix all but the last two ingredients in a medium sized mixing bowl. Chill in the fridge for 1 hour.

In a small bowl mix cinnamon and sugar, set aside.

Preheat oven to 350F

Take cookie dough out of the fridge, roll into 1inch size balls. Roll into cinnamon and sugar mixture. Place on baking sheet.

With back of spoon flatten balls a bit (not paper thin you just want them smushed down a little).

Bake cookies for about 10 minutes. Place on wire rack to cool (if you can wait that long).