Celebration Cupcakes Recipe – Because We Hit 2 Million Views!

“Children take joy in their work and sometimes as adults we forget that’s something we should continue doing.”
~ Ashley Ormon

Sometime last Friday Cauldrons and Cupcakes hit two million views.

Two million views is cause for celebration. And we did. With cupcakes, of course!

Dear Readers, thank you so much for all of the love, support and community that you’ve blessed us with since my very first blog post. It’s true to say that often the reason I have hauled myself out of bed on my less-than-best lyme days was to spend some time with you. <3

This cupcake recipe is easy to make, moist, and can be endlessly varied. It was given to me many years ago by the mother of a boy I dated at high school. Because they were his favourite, so she thought I should know how to make them! I’ve given two of my favourite variations below. One is a Strawberries and Cream Cupcake, and one is for a Choc-Caramel Deluxe Cupcake. So easy. So yum. So party!

Let the celebration begin!!!

Cupcake Ingredients (Makes 12 large cupcakes):

3 eggs, 1/2 cup (125g) softened butter (Trust me, this recipe works so much better if the butter is soft), 3/4 cup castor sugar (superfine sugar), 1/2 cup whole milk, 1 and 1/2 cups self-raising flour (self rising), 1/2 cup custard powder, 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. 2 tablespoons cocoa and 1 extra tablespoon of milk put aside.

*Note – this mixture doubles easily to make 24 cupcakes. The cupcakes will also freeze well, uniced.

Method:

Preheat your oven to moderate (160 degree celcius fan-forced or 180 degree oven – 350 degrees fahrenheit). Place twelve paper cupcake liners into a cupcake or muffin tin. (This helps them to hold their shape.)

Sift flour and custard powder together. Dump all ingredients except cocoa and extra milk into a large mixing bowl. Beat on low speed until combined and then  on medium speed for four minutes or until the mixture changes colour and becomes thick and creamy.

Spoon 1/2 of the mixture into the first 6 papers. Now add the cocoa and extra milk to the cake batter, mix well and then add to final six cupcake papers.

Bake in oven for twelve to fifteen minutes, depending on speed of oven. Cupcake will spring back when lightly pressed in centre. Do not overbake or they will become dry.

Cool cakes and remove paper liners.

Strawberry and Cream Cupcakes:

Ingredients – one cup of slightly sweetened whipped cream, strawberry jam, fresh strawberries.

*Note: I used 1 cup of thickened cream, a teaspoon of vanilla essence and 2 tablespoons of icing sugar to make 2 cups of slightly sweetened whipped cream. If you’re a cream nut feel free to use a little more.

Method – Using a sharp knife cut a circular piece from the top of each cake. Then remove some of the core of the cake to make a well, being careful not to go too close to the edge or to break the cake.

Dice two or three strawberries (more if very small) and add to half a cup of cream. Mix well. Add a small spoonful of jam to the bottom of each cupcake well. Then fill to just above the top each cake with the strawberry cream filling.

Finish each cake by adding the remaining whipped cream. Cut the small circular piece of cake into two wings, press into cream and add a few slices of strawberry to garnish.

Choc-Caramel Deluxe Cupcakes:

Ingredients – one cup of slightly sweetened whipped cream, one can of Top ‘n’ Fill Caramel, one to two tablespoons of soft brown sugar, fresh raspberries

Method – Prepare cupcakes as above, by slicing off tops and making well. Fill well with caramel. Add brown sugar to whipped cream and beat well until combined. Top cakes with whipped cream, the cupcake lid cut into ‘wings’ and a fresh raspberry. If inclined, sprinkle a little extra brown sugar on cream.